Maria Weston Chapman Middle School

Weymouth, Massachusetts

Firm

HMFH Architects

Client

Town of Weymouth

Area

252,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$128,585,641

Completion Date

09/2022

Ed Wonsek Artworks

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Design team
Philip Lewis AIA, LEED AP (Project Director); James Liebman AIA, LEED AP (Project Manager); Matthew LaRue AIA, LEED Green Associate (Design Leader); Alicia Crothers AIA, LEED AP (Project Architect)

Designed to embrace hands-on learning and foster student well-being, Chapman Middle School replaces Weymouth’s two middle schools with a facility that provides an equitable educational experience and town-wide resources.

The school’s Town Square is a central light-filled gathering area for dining and community use. Three academic wings radiate off this activity hub, each marked by a distinct tower-like structure that is home to specialized lab spaces supporting the school’s “exploratories”— introductory elective tracks in career technical education.

As a feeder for Weymouth High School and its robust CTE programs, Chapman Middle enables students to explore programs from robotics and fabrication to culinary arts and broadcast media.

To create small learning communities within the large school, grade-level academic wings are organized into neighborhoods—clusters of classrooms surrounding a double-height presentation space, work area, and support rooms.

This structure provides a “home base” for students and ensures that their needs are met with expanded resources, focused attention, and supervision. The LEED Gold-certified school provides sustainable, healthful spaces that will support future generations.