Oxford High School

DESCRIPTION
The Oxford High School project was the culmination of several years worth of intensive community involvement, led by Antinozzi Associates to expand and enhance the public school system in the Town of Oxford. Oxford High School was designed to house 750 students (with expansion to 800 students), and revolved extensively around the need to use portions of the facility for community purposes. The $44M budget also included a natatorium and core facilities for future expansion.

FEATURES
The Oxford High School design shows the influence of the Amsterdam School after a design study trip to the Museum Het Schip in 2005. The design concept revolved around the idea of expressing the interior spaces to the exterior by the use of different bricks and corrugated metal panels, three-dimensionally offsetting masses and wall skins. Differentiating colors and textures announce the function of the walls and volumes within the interior spaces.

The school building is located on a site that takes advantage of distant vistas extending across Long Island Sound. The library occupies the upper level of the rotunda above the main entrance at the building’s center. Its prominent location and transparency serve as a cultural beacon representing the school’s high academic standards. The auditorium and main gymnasium flank the rotunda lobby, making this a civic destination as well as an educational facility.

When Livingston Taylor performed in the auditorium in 2008, he commented to the audience on what wonderful spaces the new auditorium and media center were, referring to the woodwork and architecture. The air was running and it was absolutely quiet. He said, “What is so special, is that this hall is so quiet. Whoever did this, did it right!”.

AWARDS

2008 Community Impact Awards – Real Estate Exchange

2008 Featured Auditorium Design -SchoolDesigner.com (August Issue)

2008 Merit Award for Engineering Excellence – American Council of Engineering Companies of Connecticut

2008 International Masonry Institute-N.E. Regional “Golden Trowel” Award