The story of The Putney School's innovative Field House

Since its founding, physical activity and outdoor exercise have been integral to The Putney School experience. Indeed, "the hard stretching of oneself" was one of the fundamental principles of founder Carmelita Hinton. Now, as then, all Putney students are encouraged to engage in vigorous athletics and to revel in the joy of active play. Here, students find that the more active they are, the more their energy for study and work increases. Hiking, biking, running, cross-country skiing, basketball, soccer — these are just some of the strength and character- building activities that help shape Putney students into healthy, independent, fully-realized human beings.

Putney students' are encouraged to engage in vigorous athletics and to revel in the joy of active play.

The need is real. The Putney School vision for students has always included vigorous physical exercise. But in recent years, that vision has been threatened.  Global climate change has led to warmer winters here, melting away many cold-weather sports opportunities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice skating. A lack of gym space left some of our sports teams no place to  play or practice. Student athletes have had to be transported to  off-campus practice facilities on a regular basis – hardly in keeping with our commitment to environmental conservation. Popular new activities such as yoga, weight training, and  cardiovascular workouts on stationary equipment have been  forced to compromise space with dance and barn activities. We have been unable to offer visiting teams, day students, and  off-campus employees a place to shower or store their belongings. 

Putney needs a Field House.

This gradual narrowing of opportunities for "stretching oneself" has become a serious challenge to one of The Putney School's most treasured values. And after much soul-searching, the solution was clear:

A place for movement, play and activity accessible to all and usable 365 days a year. A place where students can meet to play sports, wax their skis, repair bikes, or simply sit and talk. A building that incorporates Putney values of openness, participation, and environmental responsibility.

Finally, in October 2008, after years of consulting with alumni, students, faculty, architects and engineers, we began to build the dream. The Putney Field House will be LEED Platinum, the highest designation achievable in energy conservation.

There are only a handful of schools in America that can offer a building so green, so efficient, and so inspiring.

That's the Putney way. Think green. Live green. Build green.

The Putney School's net-zero energy Field House will actually produce more energy than it consumes, while giving our students much needed space for exercise and socializing. The Field House design includes:

An open court for basketball, volleyball, and other court games A weight-training room and yoga/ftness room that can also be used for aerobics, stretching, and sports conditioning A ski waxing room with access onto Putneys groomed trails. This space can be used for bike storage and repair in the off season. Separate locker rooms and showers for students and faculty Office space for Putney's athletic director and staff A community space where students can gather for informal meetings, conversation, and socializing (something our students have been missing--and sorely need)

The Field House represents the best of Putney values. It is thoughtfully designed to conserve natural resources. It provides space for exercise, sports, socializing, and more. But it also serves as a living laboratory for environmental sustainability through its use of solar panels, photovoltaic's, hyper insulation, composting toilets, and an air-source heat pump. Indeed, there are only a handful of schools in America that can offer a building so green, so efficient, and so inspiring.

The cost of the entire Field House project (including a modest endowment) is $6.8 million; so far we have raised over $5.5 million. We're so close now! All we need is one last push to fully fund this extraordinary building. But investing in green power takes real commitment.