Banwell Architects is proud to celebrate the grand opening of the new Salmon Falls School in Rochester, New Hampshire. Designed with a focus on modern learning environments, community connection, and sustainability, the school welcomed students for the start of the academic year following a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local officials, school leaders, and community members. The new facility features flexible learning spaces, ample natural light, and state-of-the-art technology, all aimed at supporting a 21st-century education experience.
Banwell assisted the district in assembling and submitting the building aid package to the New Hampshire Department of Education, which resulted in Salmon Falls School being the top-ranked school, receiving substantial state aid that significantly offset the project’s overall costs. At just over 65,000sf, the new Kindergarten through fifth-grade elementary school will serve approximately 380 students. The school includes three classrooms per grade, with additional “flex” classrooms built to accommodate enrollment fluctuations (“bubble years”), expanded special education needs, and other evolving programmatic requirements. This intentional flexibility recently enabled the district to introduce a Pre-K program without needing additional construction. The building also features a full-sized gymnasium, cafeteria with a full-service kitchen and stage, dedicated Music and Art rooms, and a Library Commons.
This project was the result of a strong collaboration between Banwell Architects, construction manager Harvey Construction, owner’s representative Gordon Bristol, and our engineering team, including Salas O’Brien, Foley Buhl Roberts, and Singer Kittredge. Together, the team worked closely with the Joint Building Committee and Rochester School Department to bring the vision for Salmon Falls School to life: on time and on budget. We are honored to have played a role in delivering a space that will inspire young learners for generations to come.
