The New Middle School Classroom Building provides a facility that supports the project-based and student-centered teaching that is at the heart of the Charles River School Program. Located in the town center of Dover, MA, the building sits across the street from the Town Hall. In response, the front facade is designed to fit into the historic town center context, with traditional board and batten siding and double-hung windows. Facing the rear, into the school, however, the building takes a more contemporary forms, with a 2-story wood-framed glass wall revealing a large common gathering area in the center of the building. Eight classrooms as well as breakout rooms, a faculty room, and a kitchen, open onto this central space, which features an amphitheater-style seating area.

Charles River School (CRS) is an independent day school in Dover, Massachusetts. CRS currently serves approximately 190 students in grades PreK-8. The campus is in the center of Dover and consists of four buildings surrounding a central playground. CRS is a multi-age and family-like community that celebrates the joy of childhood. The school encourages the freedom to explore through in-depth projects and a strong connection to the outdoors.

After working with the CRS community to develop a master plan that provides a long term vision, ensures a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts, establishes an overall scope, and is flexible and dynamic, Flansburgh was retained by the school to design its new Middle School building. The design for the Middle School building aims at providing a facility that supports the project-based and student-centered teaching at the heart of the school's curricular program.

Located at the heart of Dover, the building sits across the street from the Town Hall. In response, the front facade is designed to fit contextually into the historic town center, with traditional board-and-batten siding and double-hung windows. Facing the rear into the school, however, the building takes a more contemporary forms, with a two-story, wood-framed glass wall revealing a large common gathering area in the center of the building. Eight classrooms as well as breakout rooms, a faculty room, and a kitchen, open onto this central space, which features a amphitheater-style seating area.

Honors and Awards

BSA Educational Facilities Design Awards (2019)

AIA New England Architecture Awards - Merit Award (2023)