By Eric Althoff
BOSTON – Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology will soon have a new campus
in Roxbury’s Nubian Square thanks to a design by local firm Studio G Architects, Studio EN EE and Dellbrook One Way, a joint venture of Dellbrook|JKS and One Way Development.
The new 66,000-square-foot facility for Franklin Cummings Tech will entail a three-story structure that will allow for the school’s continual growth.The new school will offer flexible learning spaces, technical labs, outdoor gathering spaces and student lounges.Additionally, a rooftop learning lab will offer a practical learning environment where students can engage in hands-on work in renewable energy technologies and mechanical systems.
“The groundbreaking of our new campus marks a pivotal moment in our mission to deliver transformative technical and trade education that leads to economic advancement for our students,” Dr. Aisha Francis, president at Franklin CummingsTech, said of the commencement of construction work.“Our new campus will provide an environment that not only meets the needs of current students but also anticipates the demands of future educational programs.
The designers are aiming to achieve LEED Gold status on the construction project by installing energy-efficient mechanical systems and utilizing passive design strategies and renewable energy sources to reduce its overall environmental impact.
“At Studio G, we are deeply committed to designing spaces that not only meet the functional needs of our clients but also contribute positively to the communities they serve,” Studio G Architects Senior Project Manager Sally Gibson said of the project.“The new campus for Franklin Cummings Tech exemplifies this commitment, as it will not only provide cutting-edge educational facilities but also serve as a catalyst for the revitalization of Nubian Square.”
In a subsequent statement to School Construction News, Studio G Managing PrincipalGail Sullivan called the project a stellar opportunity to create an efficient learning space within an urban core.
“The Franklin Cummings project offered us an amazing opportunity to create more and more useful learning space in a smaller building than the 110,000 square feet the college now inhabits,” Sullivan said.“We’ve done so with rigorous efficiency that also offers them more connected, open and flexible spaces, from the lobby to the rooftop learning labs. Additionally, we are really proud that we demonstrated that by using passive building design strategies, we could meet the 2023 Massachusetts Energy Code with no extra effort.The new college will have an all-electric, lower-carbon building for their program of technical and vocational education.”
The new campus is expected to be completed late in 2025.
Studio G Architects, founded in 1991, is a certified women-owned business (WBE).In addition to their work in K-12 and higher education design, the company is also active in housing and other sectors.