Following JCJ Architecture’s completion of a comprehensive master plan for the City of Waterbury’s Schools, the Firm was engaged to provide services to restore, renovate and expand the Duggan School in the City’s historic Brooklyn neighborhood. The original school, constructed in 1890, had been closed for over a decade. Strong public sentiment was responsible for the revival of the four-story, 31,000 square foot local landmark.

A three-story addition of nearly 45,000 square feet engages the existing structure at the back of the wedged-shaped site. Modern elements within the new construction function alongside original architectural elements, making the school a unique reflection of the community’s commitment to education, preservation and the surrounding neighborhood.

The school is configured to maximize student engagement with their peers while providing each grade its own place within the school. A tightly constrained and sloping site, the design solution maximizes available space, preserves historic site features and is proportioned to fit within a neighborhood of three and six-family homes.