Despite light rain and lightning, guests gathered on Friday, August 26 to celebrate the official unveiling of Mingledorff Hall, Savannah Country Day School’s new Upper School building centered in the Quad of the High School Campus.
“This new state-of-the-art building transforms our campus and provides our students with the learning experiences needed to thrive in the future,” said Head of School Kef Wilson. “We are thrilled with the building’s beautiful, engaging, and adaptable design, and appreciate how it complements the surrounding buildings and our campus context.”
Nestled into a 65-acre, 16-building campus, the new 32,000sf Mingledorff Hall houses all Upper School STEM classes.
West Construction Company completed the project ahead of schedule and in time for the students to start the school year. It boasts 32,000 square feet providing 5 science labs, an energy learning lab, a maker space, math classrooms, an expansive library, a learning stair, numerous conference rooms, common areas for the students, a second-story outdoor gathering space that overlooks the campus quad. Designed by Hussey Gay Bell and ARC, this blend of contemporary architecture combined with the traditional campus aesthetic will serve the school and its students for generations to come.
“It was a privilege to take part in the ribbon cutting for Mingledorff Hall at Savannah Country Day. 40 companies, hundreds of tradespeople, and 60,000 hours of labor. Together, we completed Mingledorf Hall 2.5 months early to meet the start of the school year,” Matt West, President of West Construction Company.
“We are grateful for the tremendous generosity of our school community and thankful for our partnership with West Construction Company for successfully delivering this remarkable facility,” states Head of School Kef Wilson.
“The addition of the STEM building continues Country Day’s tradition of academic excellence and its commitment to science and future-based learning,” said Philip Laird, president of ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge. “Our creative partnership with the school and Hussey Gay Bell led to a STEM center design that is already inspiring hands-on learning and discovery.”
According to Savannah Country Day, “the new Upper School building was made possible by the lead gifts of Bud ’64 and Shirley Mingledorff, Rob ‘66 and Celeste Demere, Ben and Susie MacMillan, and Reed ‘87 and Meredith ‘92 Dulany. Other significant contributors include Peter Thacher and Jane Vaden Thacher ‘84, the Lewis Family Foundation, Brian and Kathie Harlander, Hunter ‘97 and Clementine Philbrick, Curtis ‘70 and Carol Lewis, and the Hunter Foundation.”
Savannah Country Day partnered with Architectural Resources Cambridge out of Boston, MA, and Hussey Gay Bell of Savannah to design a building that would complement the surrounding facilities and anchor the Upper School buildings. Local general contracting firm West Construction Company at the helm.
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