The Northfield Mount Hermon School | The Gilder Center

Design Team
David Croteau (Principal-in-Charge)Kelley Banks (Project Manager) Joseph Marshall (Project Architect)

The new Gilder Center is a home for Northfield Mount Hermon (NMH) students to develop a lifelong love of learning. The science center honors NMH’s rich architectural history while providing a modern educational environment.

The Gilder Center has a dual relationship to the campus. The traditional, granite façade sits solidly on the green, reflecting NMH’s “well-grounded” motto. Inspired by the work of H.H. Richardson, the façade is rusticated and Richardsonian. The stone arch harmonizes the structure with the campus’s existing chapel and symbolizes a gateway to the sciences. Behind the granite façade, the contemporary building gestures toward the Connecticut River Valley. Lifted above glass walls, the upper slate-clad exterior seems to float above the landscape. Drawing from Industrial Revolution mill buildings, its quintessentially New England design resonates with the region’s history of technological innovation.

The Gilder Center has a variety of academic spaces, including a faculty hub, maker space, lobby/presentation area, central collaboration zones, small group meeting spaces, 10 math classrooms, 10 science labs, and five mini-labs/prep rooms. The spaces accommodate multiple uses, stimulate creativity, and encourage interaction amongst students and faculty. Embracing the school’s engaging academic environment and beautiful campus, the bright and airy interior provides transparent views to indoor and outdoor areas. Exposed systems reveal the building’s anatomy and create a high-tech atmosphere that demonstrates the science of construction.

The project uses cross-laminated timber as the floor and roof structure. This renewable resource reduces embodied carbon, supporting the school’s commitment to minimizing its carbon footprint. Glass walls maximize natural light, and the slate-clad exterior decreases the use of carbon-intensive manufactured products.

By combining traditional and modern architecture, the Gilder Center celebrates NMH’s heritage while providing a modern home for its innovative educational approach.

Additional Information

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