HMFH Architects
Dover High School & Regional Career Technical Center
Dover, NH
The vision for a new Dover High School, as articulated by teachers, administrators, students, and community members, was a fully integrated high school & Regional Career Technical Center that facilitates a broad range of educational delivery methods and inspires hands-on exploration and learning. This high school operates as a collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment blending academic, career, and technical education.
Students, parents, and community members have shared a lot of positive feedback about the building, and this has instilled a renewed sense of pride in the education system of the City of Dover. I have heard the phrase, ‘Wow, this looks like a community college campus!’ while giving tours of the facility.
- Grades 9-12
- Students 1,500
- Size 310,000 ft2
When students and community members enter the school, they arrive at the Town Square, a central dining commons that acts as the heart of the school and unifies core spaces including the gym, auditorium, and publicly focused CTE spaces, from culinary arts to cosmetology. Career tech programs are also fully integrated into the academic wings and visible so that students are engaged and immersed in a culture of making: alongside science classrooms are spaces for pre-engineering and biotechnology; art classrooms abut woodworking and building technology programs; academic spaces are adjacent to marketing and business CTC classrooms. Along with classroom and specialized learning spaces, each wing contains a Learning Commons with social spaces and student-centered learning nodes. The design reflects the idea of a “future proof” school, one that is truly flexible and can be re-organized by department, grade levels, or subject while maintaining equal access to the CTE and social spaces.
Dover High School & Regional Career Technical Center was recently honored by AIA NH in the 2021 Design Awards, receiving a Merit Award for Excellence in Architectural Design. Watch the video above to learn how the new school demonstrates a bold and thoughtful integration of common areas, specialized learning spaces and site to create a timeless design that will serve Dover for generations.
