Horace Mann School

The Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HMS) is the oldest public day school for the deaf and hard of hearing in the United States. Machado Silvetti assisted the City of Boston with an initial study of three existing school buildings to assess their potential as a temporary (5-10 year) swing space for HMS. Through a rigorous evaluation and presentation, the study determined the Edwards School in Charlestown, MA would best serve the needs of HMS and BPS future flexibility.

Machado Silvetti, in collaboration with Boston Public Facilities, Boston Public Schools, Horace Mann administration, the community, and a team of consultants, has provided programming through construction documents as the Architect of Record. The project is set to begin construction in Spring 2023.

The substantial renovation of the three-story 1930s Georgian Revival style school requires extensive aesthetic upgrades and functional modifications to meet accessibility codes and deaf design guidelines. General building upgrades include a new roof, mechanical cooling and ventilation, and updated finishes throughout. Accessible design elements include new interior and exterior ramps, stairwell modifications, and an elevator core retrofitted to the existing masonry structure.