Friday, October 7 was a nice, sunny, fall day here in Brattleboro, so landscape architect Adam Hubbard went up the hill to check in on one of our projects, the Hilltop Montessori School. Stevens & Associates performed civil engineering, site design, and landscape architecture for this project, which was completed in 2009. We wanted to return to see how the landscaping had grown in and how the circulation design was working. The short answer: beautifully.
Hilltop Montessori School accepts students from preschool through eighth grade, and has a strong focus on knowledge of the natural world. The school wanted a campus that would reflect the varying needs of its students; provide playing fields, outdoor play areas, and vegetable gardens; and be environmentally sensitive to the site and the world beyond it.
The result is a site design that keeps most student circulation away from vehicle traffic and guides students down carefully designed paths.
The constructed wetland, designed to filter and treat stormwater runoff, has grown in very nicely and is performing well. It offers educational and recreational opportunities for students, and offers a great view of our Vermont valley.