William E. Carter School

Originally built in 1971, the William E. Carter School outgrew its building and was replaced in 2025 with a new state-of-the-art facility on the same site. Serving 60 students aged 3 to 22 with severe disabilities and complex health needs, the new school is a $110 million 85,655 square foot, 3-story steel-framed building with outdoor learning spaces. It is an all-electric building with a generator for medical needs, elevators, and essential life safety systems. The project was designed through extensive collaboration with educators, therapists, and experts in special needs education. Unique design requirements include wide corridors, student lifts, changing bathrooms, zoned lighting, and sensory-responsive features to meet accessibility standards.

The project aims to create an educational environment that meets the physical, visual, sensory, and cognitive accessibility needs of the students, promoting communication and engagement. The Architect specified a multi-color duplex system for the exposed structural steel on the building to meet the student's visual, sensory and cognitive goals while still having the corrosion protection and durability of hot-dip galvanizing. The design centers on three principles: Purpose, Place, and Perspective. Each classroom will consist of five students, one teacher, and two teaching assistants, with additional support from various therapists. Outdoor spaces are crucial to the school’s vision, featuring sensory gardens, outdoor dining areas, water play, music, performance spaces, and flexible event areas. These spaces promote inclusivity and sensory engagement.