Long, wide hallway with green, blue, yellow and black floor, custom inlay compass design surrounded by light metal circle railing. Full height windows to left and dark walls to right

Science and Technology Magnet School

2007 | NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATES | EDUCATION

Located in New London, Connecticut, the Science and Technology Magnet School of Southeastern Connecticut was designed to provide its teachers with an educational tool by creating architectural and design elements that teach spatial relationships, physics and other opportunities for lessons. The magnet high school aims to instill values, skills and ethics that will enable its students to enter their chosen profession in science or technology.

The design creates its form using three basic mathematical geometries: orthogonal, radial and intersecting plane. The circular, two-story structure sets the radius point for interior spaces and is the axis for the intersecting plane as well as the radius for curved interior walls that sit within an orthogonal shape. Natural light, plenty of seating space and decorative floor designs create inviting common areas at the school.

Unlike most high schools the Science and Technology Magnet School of New London, Connecticut, was designed to be more a learning tool for its students than a facility. All design elements - the buildings’ structure, lighting, stairwells and common areas - are all spaces that were intended to encourage exploration and discovery.

The New London High School needed a flooring option that could transition into a variety of environments but that also had tremendous design flexibility in order to provide the stimulating floor designs Friar Associates Inc. envisioned for the space. Cortina Grande resilient tile offered the design flexibility, aesthetics, maintenance qualities and cost requirements to meet the facility’s needs. With a wide range of color options and superior performance warranty, Cortina Grande provided the right flooring solution.

Long corridor with custom pattern resilient tile, reflective dark tile wall to right, overhead lighting

About the Partnership with Friar Associates Inc.

The Friar Associates architect and design team were pleased with Cortina Grande’s design flexibility, color range and reduced maintenance qualities. These elements of Cortina Grande allowed their flooring design to come to life and help create a cheerful and stimulating workspace within the school. The flooring design was integrated with the overall concept for the building, which was to provide an ideal blend of inspiration and application. In fact, Azrock, Friar Associates and BKM Floorcovering were honored as the 2007 grandprize winners of the prestigious StarNet Design Award for the Science and Technology Magnet School of Southeastern Connecticut project.