Cardigan Mountain School, in rural New Hampshire, is a boy’s independent junior boarding school for 200 6th through 9th graders. OMR worked with the school to provide a master plan to compliment their 2020 Strategic Plan vision. Phase I of that vision has begun with the design of a new dining hall and student center. Construction recently began in April of 2012, and is on track for completion in the Spring of 2013.
The Cardigan Commons is situated at the edge of campus with spectacular views of Canaan Lake and the school’s namesake. The challenge was to design a space that could serve as the social hub on campus, while protecting the natural environment and preserving the views from elsewhere on campus, all within a tight budget. The solution involved nestling the building into the hillside and organizing the space to take advantage of views and solar orientation. Great care was taken to provide a building that could respond to the social needs of the Cardigan community, as well as the environmental needs of the immediate site, and responsible stewardship of the environment on a global scale.