Windham High School

Project Strategy

The Town of Windham had a dilemma when it came to its high school. After 50 years of minimal improvements, a significant renovation of the school was severely needed, all while maintaining the school curriculum and safety for all. The building's design was driven by the need to accommodate three different functions under one roof, each with unique requirements. These areas include the Early Childhood Center, the High School and the Public Schools Central Office.
The design catered to the educational and operational needs of each occupant group, creating tailored spaces for each. The design for the Early Childhood Center aimed to create a vibrant and energetic environment for young children. This was achieved through the use of bright, playful colors in flooring, wall tiles, and furniture. Special features included Gross Motor rooms with road-like circular flooring, wall murals of outdoor playscapes, therapy swings, and a rock-climbing wall to encourage movement and creativity. The high school was designed with functionality and navigation in mind. The school's colors—maroon and blue—were incorporated into the design for wayfinding, helping people easily navigate the three-level school. The design of flooring and signage further supported navigation. Notable features at WHS included specialized labs like the Early College Opportunity (ECO) Lab, Allied Health Lab, and Culinary Kitchen/Restaurant, contributing to a comprehensive educational experience. The Central Office was designed with a modern aesthetic that prioritized natural light and open workstations to foster collaboration. The office space supported the administrative and operational needs of the school district.
The design intent really flourished in phases three, four and five. Roppe Envire® Rubber Sheet was used in the Early Childhood Center suite for its natural resilience, exceptional wear resistance and dimensional stability. Tarkett IQ Granit graced the floors of the new special education suite, chemistry and physics labs in order to support resistance to wear and abrasions. The cafeteria, along with a new culinary training kitchen and service line, sported Altro reliance safety flooring for its cleanability and durable nature. The hallways used Armstrong VCT to create fun patterns with school colors to help maintain an ease of travel. Fun geometric carpet shapes in the auditorium and music rooms bring an air of creativity to the spaces.
Overall, the design balanced functional needs, creative spaces, and efficient navigation, all while dealing with the complexities of a phased construction process. Even with the six phases of work over four years of disruption, Mayor Tom DeVivo said that throughout the renovation, “we never dropped our standards.” This is a true tribute to the Windham community at large.

Unique Installation Challenge Strategy

A significant challenge in this project was the phased renovation, which took place over three school years while the building remained occupied. This required careful coordination between the construction schedule, client needs, and the delivery and installation of flooring, furniture and equipment. At one point, Principal Pamela Cavanagh commented, “We’ve had a lot of passageways to get to classes. Many hallways were blocked at some point during the construction, and you’d walk along and there was a wall in front of you. Where do I go?” Principal Cavanagh was looking forward to the school blossoming and students being able to navigate with much more ease.
Challenges continued throughout the project for the flooring installation crew. Due to the variety of flooring materials chosen to fulfill these three unique functions under one roof, the flooring team garnered a myriad of install skills and techniques to make the vision all work. FlashCove base in the kitchen was carefully installed for strength and hygiene, as was the sheet vinyl with heat-welded seams in the lab areas. The installers also had to match up flooring from one phase with that of another and make it look as seamless as possible. The final result is a thoughtfully designed multi-purpose building that features three distinctive areas. These areas work symbiotically, complementing one another to enhance the overall benefit for the Windham community.