On August 29, just under 500 students will start their academic year at the new Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut. New Haven–based architects Svigals + Partners led the design of the 86,800-square-foot K-4 school, working closely with the community, Consigli Construction of Hartford, and a bevy of consultants to create an inviting, colorful, and secure new campus filled with light and art. “The intent of this building is to offer a warm and comfortable environment for students,” said Newtown Superintendent Dr. Joseph V. Erardi, Jr. at a media event on July 29, “and [the architects] hit a grand slam with that.”

Following the mass shooting on Decem­ber 14, 2012, that took the lives of 20 children and six staff members, Sandy Hook students were transferred to the nearby town of Monroe. After a town referendum, the old ’50s-era school was demolished in the fall of 2013, and Svigals + Partners, selected by the state after an open RFQ process, began meeting with a 50-member committee to understand the community’s values and needs.