HMFH Architects
Groundbreaking for new Downtown Boston School
Today marked the groundbreaking for the new Josiah Quincy Upper School, a high-rise school in the City of Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood.
As shovels in the ground ceremoniously marked the beginning of construction, speakers including Boston Mayor Kim Janey, Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius, and current JQUS students reflected on the importance of the milestone.
I can’t wait to see what the Josiah Quincy community will establish in the future in this new symbolic building. The students will have the opportunity to access an indoor gym, professional music and theatre classrooms… The experiences students will have are going to be so important to our community and to their growth as active citizens.
The culmination of HMFH’s 10+ years-long exploration of numerous sites around the City, the new JQUS occupies a prominent urban location adjacent to the Josiah Quincy Elementary School and rises above I-90 as a beacon for residents and visitors alike of the City’s commitment to education.
Fitting a robust educational program onto the dense, urban site was paramount, but equally as important was weaving it appropriately into the urban and neighborhood context, which required thoughtful consideration from streetscape to skyline.
Creating healthy spaces that support wellbeing was a key driver for the design, which is achieved through innovative daylighting strategies; the design of a rooftop educational space with outdoor classrooms, gardens, and photovoltaic arrays; and a unique ventilation system to mitigate the effects of the highway and ground level air pollution.
Opening in fall of 2024, the new school helps achieve the goals of the Boston Public Schools long-term master plan efforts and commitment to providing an equitable experience for all Boston students. In addition to rigorous academics, a full range of cultural, social and physical programming will help students flourish and provide community-oriented space for public use.
