Notre Dame Academy
Hingham , Massachusetts
By Frances Putman

Notre Dame Academy is an all-girl Catholic high school in Hingham , Massachusetts . Once located in the city of Boston , the school moved to its current, suburban locale in 1964. Originally, there was a convent on grounds for the sisters who taught at the school. By 2005, however, only a few residents remained. It no longer seemed necessary to operate the convent, especially since classroom space was at such a premium.

The school contacted Habeeb and Associates, a Boston-area architectural firm, to create a master plan. The original idea was to convert the convent area into more classroom space. However, several factors-including inappropriate column spacing, floor to floor dimensions and misaligned floor elevations-made the conversion unfeasible.

"They would have had columns in the middle of classrooms, low ceilings and would not have been connected to academic floors," recalled Steve n C. Habeeb, AIA, president and founder of Habeeb and Associates. "It would not have been effective."

Instead, the convent was razed, and a three-story classroom building-devoted primarily to science classrooms and labs, as well as administrative space-was constructed in its place. In the original school building, some older science classrooms and labs were renovated and updated as additional classroom space as well.

To meet new ADA regulations, a wheelchair lift was added to access the auditorium, and handicapped-accessible washrooms were installed. An elevator in the main lobby provides easy maneuvering throughout the building.

Renovations included the replacement of the main heating plant in the building with a new energy-efficient boiler system. A new track was added to the campus, and renovations took place on the soccer field. Ancillary spaces were added for special track and field events, like the high jump and shot put.

The new wing is a steel frame structure with brick masonry veneer.

"It's a very durable exterior, yet a fairly economical system to erect," Habeeb said. "This allowed us to move along quickly during construction."

Limestone and brick were chosen to go along with the existing school structure. Although the new wing is attractive and modern, it blends well with the main part of the school.

Reinforcement was added for seismic resistance for the new wing and the existing chapel, where it links to the new building. Interior materials include durable tile for floors in high-traffic areas and high-quality carpeting in the administrative offices. Glass block was used for accent in the main lobby.

"Indirect lighting was installed in all new classrooms and labs," Habeeb said. "Light is directed up and reflects off the ceiling. It's a more even lighting method and is energy efficient. It cuts down on glare on computer screens as well."

The school was able to receive rebates from the local electric company because of using this type of lighting.

The new area, now a separate wing of the school, houses five science labs-two for biology, two for chemistry and one for physics. One of the biology labs leads to a roof-top greenhouse with direct access to the outside.

"The ability to have the latest technology, like equipping all the rooms with wireless ports and overhead digital projectors with spot boards, was very helpful," Habeeb said. "It's impressive for a school this size to have five state-of-the-art science labs."

One floor of the new wing houses administrative offices, including the president's office, the boardroom, campus ministries, health office and faculty offices. One special feature on this level is a covered porch, just off the boardroom, which overlooks the new athletic track. When the school has special guests, they can view sporting events from this prime location.

Old stained glass windows taken from the original school, located in Roxbury in Boston , were incorporated into the main lobby and backlit for a showcase effect.

"This was a nice way to tie the new building to the old and maintain a bit of history," Habeeb noted.

The lower level of the building also includes maintenance and support offices, as well as storage.

One of the major challenges of the project came up because of water regulations in the area. New policies put in place since the school was built in 1964 meant the building project had to include water-saving devices, as well as a system of waste disposal.

"We had to show we were going to reduce water usage by putting in water-saving features," Habeeb said. "We provided data on past water usage through the years and how this could be improved."

The school had installed a well not too long ago to assist with irrigation needs.

Another concern was the need for an on-site sanitary system. The school, which sits in a nitrogen-sensitive area, had to install a simplified treatment plant with a series of below-ground chambers to pre-treat waste before it moved to distribution fields. Since the school is not connected to the local sewer system, this provides a good method of waste disposal.

Habeeb and Associates Architects, www.habeebarch.com , is a firm dedicated to the advancement of Catholic schools, colleges, universities and public K-12 schools.

Fast Facts

School: Notre Dame Academy

Affiliation: Catholic

Location: Hingham , Massachusetts

Student Body: 600 female students

Grades Served: 9-12

Project Goal: Provide the school with a comprehensive master plan, create new classroom space, and upgrade athletic facilities

Size: 35,000 square feet

Cost: $7.5 million

Challenge: The school, originally built in 1964, was not connected to a public sewer system. Regulations now in place would not allow the school to build without a comprehensive plan for conserving water, as well as providing an upgraded waste disposal system.

Solution: The school installed a simplified, on-site treatment plant with a series of chambers below ground to pre-treat waste before it moves on into distribution fields.