Chamberlain Elementary School has approximately 500 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Initially built in 1953, the last updates were additions and renovations in 1956 and 1994. Most classrooms, the gymnasium, and the auditorium were kept the same during those renovations.
KBA performed a feasibility study in partnership with the School Building Committee, the New Britain Board of Education administration, school staff, and the City of New Britain. The feasibility study results were used to determine and design the additions and renovations required to transform the school into a modern facility capable of supporting 21st-century education. As a critical community resource, Chamberlain Elementary School project included a Family Resource Center and Health Clinic.
The school is nestled within an urban neighborhood of multi- and single-family homes. Before the renovation, the building lacked adequate security, did not meet ADA accessibility requirements, nor included modern technology. Renovations include a more extensive, modernized media center, breakout areas for small group learning, and innovation lab spaces to support the STEAM curriculum. The site was reshaped to include a new separate parent drop-off location, bus loop, and separate playgrounds for kindergarteners and students in grades one through five.
The completed building meets all CT High-Performance requirements.