Roger Ludlow Middle School
Fairfield, Conn.
Perkins Eastman

Perkins Eastman creates an airy, modernist learning space through the manipulation of a hilly site and natural materials

© Woodruff/Brown

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By Sam Lubell

In designing Fairfield, Connecticut’s Roger Ludlowe Middle School, New York–based Perkins Eastman Architects decided to nestle a long, L-shaped building onto an adjacent hillside. This siting and configuration, the architects reasoned, gave them an opportunity to enhance views and light, and vary the massing, while minimizing the impact of the large project on the residential community.

The new, steel-frame structure blends with its surroundings through simple use of cedar and red, purplish, and silvery brick facing. In order to break up the massing, the firm took advantage of the sloping site in its disposition of spaces. For example, the gymnasium is at field level, the cafeteria and public spaces are at mid-level, and the classrooms—requiring the most light and the best views—dominate the highest levels (but are still present on all floors).

The first visible element is the school’s cube-shaped library. Enclosed by a two-story glass curtain wall and interior wood louvers that define the space and provide shading and depth, the library acts as an elegant symbol for the entire complex. Besides the library, the 650-seat, box-in-box auditorium and a simple, much-frequented gymnasium provide the school’s other anchors, both located at ends of the L-plan arms. All three elements have dedicated entrances to encourage the community to use them without disturbing (or being disturbed by) the school itself. They also provide a sense of orientation, further enhanced by a double-height main lobby—adorned with colorful Bomonite tiles and suspended pendant globes—just east of the library. Between these points sit classrooms, hallways, computer labs, offices, music rooms, a cafeteria, and support spaces. Simple, airy classrooms collect reflected light, thanks to 11-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows and exterior cedar fins that function as brise-soleils.

The school’s simple design does not astound, but smart decisions have turned it into an attractive, exceptional space for education and community. The building’s ability to blend with its surroundings is not often seen in Modernist-style structures; the colored brick in particular helps, since it is highlighted by rich silvery tints and rhythmic patterns. Most important, the architects have proved that it’s possible to build a discreetly handsome school without breaking the bank.

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Formal name of Project:
Roger Ludlow Middle School

Location:
Fairfield, Conn.

Gross square footage:
220,000 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$38 million

Client:
Town of Fairfield

Architect:
Perkins Eastman
115 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York, 10003
T: (212)353-7200
F: (212) 353-7676

Perkins Eastman (Stamford office)
422 Summer Street
Stamford, CT 06901
T: (203) 251-7400
F: (203) 251-7474
www.perkinseastman.com