The Academy of Aerospace & Engineering at John Wallace Middle School

Driven by the desire for innovative educational facilities, school districts are seeking out design partners who can create spaces that meet the changing needs of 21st-century learners. The school district of Newington, Conn., is no exception.
To meet this demand, Quisenberry Arcari Architects integrated evidence-based solutions into its design of the Academy of Aerospace & Engineering. The firm transformed a PCB-contaminated vocational wing, once home to traditional shop classrooms, into a high-tech academy dedicated to a rigorous, aerospace-focused STEM curriculum for seventh and eighth graders.
The Aerospace & Engineering Academy is designed as a flexible and innovative instructional space that emulates a research facility by providing students with project-based learning experiences through:
• A model-building workshop
• 3D modeling equipment
• A wind tunnel for testing model planes
• Flight simulators
• Electrical reel power supply from ceiling
• Flexible furnishings.
The flow between labs and common areas, flexibility of lab space, and mobility of furniture connect the space to the curriculum.

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