Nantucket Intermediate School

Due to a spike in student enrollment and projections that indicated continued substantial growth, the demand for additional classroom space became urgent on Nantucket Island, as the elementary school was operating beyond capacity. With no immediate prospect of a state-funded solution, the town fully funded the design and construction of the Nantucket Intermediate School. Respecting the island’s critical schedule, SMRT achieved design approval in April 2015, enabling the completion of an operational building in May 2017.

The new 83,000-square-foot, two-story structure houses grades three through five. On the first floor are administration spaces, the cafeteria, a media center, a gymnasium, and third-grade classrooms, with fourth and fifth-grade classrooms occupying the second level. Each grade’s classrooms are arranged in a cluster configuration, with seven individual classrooms surrounding a common area. The full-size gymnasium, media center, and dining space are open to a screened outdoor terrace.

The complete redesign of the campus included increased parking with separate pedestrian and vehicular circulation. Separating parent and bus drop-off loops improved campus and off-site traffic flow and saved space by being accessible to both the intermediate and elementary schools. Improvements to the campus athletic fields were also part of this project.