Harrison Design: Designing St. Benedict Classical Academy

Keim Mineral Coatings Blog

It’s not every day that you get to build a beautiful, modern school that feels like a classic New England home. At least, not without some serious thought and clever design. We sat down with a project manager from Harrison Design, the DC-based architectural firm behind the new St. Benedict Classical Academy in Natick, Massachusetts, to talk about the project’s unique challenges and successes.

The project manager, John Parker Wilmeth, who has been with Harrison Design for six years, was a key member of the team, working alongside the principal, Nic Charbonneau, and other colleagues, Joshua Green and Michi Sanderson. He explains that they started the design process with an “architectural charette,” a collaborative design session, back in 2019. This intensive session helped them quickly establish a strong design direction for the school, which only changed slightly in the major moves from there on. The entire project, from initial conversations to completion, took several years.

A Modern School with a Homey Feel

The new St. Benedict Classical Academy is a K-6 school that needed to accommodate a rapidly growing student population. The school’s Board of Directors wanted the new building to reflect its past, which had been housed in a renovated home. This meant a grand building with substantial ceiling heights but with a residential, almost bed-and-breakfast feel. The challenge for Harrison Design was to create a building that was both grand and homey, while also fitting in with the surrounding New England context.

The architectural team accomplished this by incorporating several design elements. The building features a temple front pediment with the St. Benedict’s medal, a clear nod to the school’s Catholic identity. To blend in with the local New England architecture, they chose finishes sympathetic to local conventions, using siding and shingle-look terracotta on the roof. The combination of these elements tells a story of a school that is deeply rooted in its faith while being a part of its community. The finished two-story building feels substantial and welcoming, a perfect fit for a place of learning.

The Unique Substrate and KEIM Mineral Silicate Paint

A major design element that contributes to the building’s residential look is the siding, a unique product that looks and feels like wood but offers superior durability. The project manager explained that the siding is a fly ash product called poly-ash siding from a company called Duration Millwork. It’s a cementitious, millwork product that can be CNC’d to create the desired profiles, just like wood. The material is completely dense and solid all the way through, giving it the durability of cement but the workability of wood.

This unique substrate required a special kind of paint, and Harrison Design specified a mineral silicate paint from KEIM. The project manager shared that Harrison Design has a great history with KEIM, noting their paints’ exceptional durability. The decision to use KEIM was a natural fit for the project’s long-lasting poly-ash siding.

The key benefits of using KEIM for this project were:

Exceptional Durability: KEIM mineral silicate paint doesn’t peel, flake, or wear off. Its color penetrates the substrate, ensuring it lasts for decades without the need for repainting. This was a critical factor for the school, which needed a building that would retain its aesthetic appeal for generations.

Non-Toxic Composition: KEIM paints are composed of natural, inorganic ingredients like potassium silicate, mineral fillers, and earth oxide pigments. They are completely free of VOCs, solvents, and other harsh chemicals, making them a safe and sustainable choice that doesn’t release harmful emissions.

Aesthetic Quality: The paint’s finish is described as “beautiful,” with a “deeper, richer” quality. The white used on the exterior has a “sparkle” and “brightness” that won’t fade or change color over time, a crucial element for the courtyard design.

The application of KEIM paint to the poly-ash substrate went smoothly, with no reported issues. The project manager noted that the natural fit between the two products created a logical, durable, and beautiful package.

A Courtyard Full of Light

One of the project’s most innovative aspects is its courtyard design, which was meticulously planned to maximize natural light. The central courtyard is surrounded by classroom wings and assembly areas, a layout that allows sunlight to penetrate deep into the building. The single-loaded corridors, with classrooms on one side and a hallway on the other, further enhance the flow of light and air.

Wilmeth explained that the bright white exterior, painted with KEIM mineral paint, is essential to this design. When sunlight hits the building, the “sparkling white fills the courtyard and enters the hallways, enters the windows in the classrooms,” creating a “bright human environment” that was a core intention of the project.

Why Recommend KEIM?

When asked if Wilmeth would recommend KEIM, the project manager gave an unequivocal, yes! He emphasized that the advantages of mineral silicate paints in general, particularly their exceptional durability, are undeniable. However, his praise for KEIM was even more specific. He lauded the company’s rich color range, noting that their colors “really pop when you’re trying to do something special,” allowing for a level of aesthetic depth and vibrancy that is often difficult to achieve with other paints. Beyond the product itself, Wilmeth highlighted the positive and collaborative working relationship he had with KEIM’s representatives. This seamless experience, from initial consultation to the final application, was a significant factor in the project’s success and solidified his recommendation. In his view, KEIM offers a complete package: a superior, long-lasting product supported by a knowledgeable and helpful team.