Raymond E. Shaw Elementary School has been recognized for Outstanding Design in the American School and University (ASU) 2023 Architectural Portfolio. ASU has been recognizing and celebrating the best in School and University Design nationally for 41 years. Dodson & Flinker worked on the design team with Turowski2 Architecture.
Shaw Elementary School serves 550 students in Millbury, Massachusetts. The design team worked closely with school staff and community members on the design, which reflects the school’s pride in their local history and the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Dodson & Flinker designed numerous landscapes that bring learning and play outside and expand outdoor experiences beyond recess. These include active recreation areas and sports facilities, innovative playground equipment and raised garden beds, dedicated walking and biking paths, a sensory garden path, nature trails, and outdoor classrooms nestled into the surrounding woodlands and wetlands. Interpretive features include a meadow walk, a constructed wetland, sloped playground with embankment slides and interconnected nets, and a stormwater runnel wall and waterwheel driven by roof runoff.
Molded red brick, commonly used in many New England Mill Buildings, were used for the new school building, which will be certified LEED Gold. Large windows formerly used for lighting the workspace of mill interiors illuminate the interior learning spaces—saving energy, promoting health, and increasing learning retention. ‘Threads’ and ‘Meandering Rivers’ weave indoor and outdoor learning spaces together, through site elements and patterns and internal application of finish materials and playful lighting.
