Boston Public Schools engaged Machado Silvetti to determine whether the WREC, a vacant high school complex located on a 14-acre site in Boston’s West Roxbury neighborhood, could be reused, renovated, and expanded to accommodate a new Exam School serving grades 7-12. 

The design proposes two additions to the original 1970s building, a new high-performance thermal envelope, and the transformation and enclosure of two existing exterior courtyards into interior light-filled common areas. Clusters for collaboration organize teams and grades, and provide access to pull-out spaces, teacher planning space, and state-of-the-art STEM, athletic, and arts facilities.  

The WREC will serve as a model school within Boston’s Green New Deal initiative. Highly efficient active and passive systems optimize natural light and ventilation. Green roofs, photovoltaic panels, and the existing wetlands integrate with the high school curriculum and create opportunities for hands-on learning.