News - DiNisco

Countryside Elementary School Progressing

The new Countryside Elementary School in Newton is steadily coming together. Drilling the geothermal wells is essentially complete, and as the weather is now warming up, the windows and doors are in and the interiors are looking more and more like a school, especially the classrooms. The 75,000 SF school for 465 students in grades…

Amethyst Brook Elementary School Is Progressing

The new Amethyst Brook Elementary School in Amherst is really coming along and looks better with each successive week. The new 105,750 SF net zero energy school for 575 K–5 students remains on schedule to be completed in time for the beginning of school in the fall of 2026. When it opens in the fall,…

Women In Construction Week 2026

The first week of March marks Women In Construction Week, an annual celebration that began all the way back in 1960. As a certified Women-owned Business Enterprise, DiNisco Design supports this year’s theme of “Level Up,” highlighting the opportunity to build stronger communities, careers, and futures. The National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) has…

Food Drive Culminates with Lunar New Year Celebration of the Fire Horse

DiNisco combined our office tradition of celebrating Lunar New Year with participating in a food drive for Interfaith Social Services, one of the largest food programs in Greater Boston. https://interfaithsocialservices.org

A Holiday Party…with MURDER!!!

DiNisco Design returned to the days of Old Hollywood for a murder mystery themed [After] Holiday Party orchestrated by The Murder Mystery Company that found all of us turning detective. There were twists, turns, and MURDER as everyone leaned into their characters for the evening. Despite the extreme cold outside, everybody had a great time…

Celebrating our founder Ken DiNisco’s retirement

DiNisco Design celebrated the career of our founder, Ken DiNisco, upon his retirement. Many things about the world (and architectural practice) were very different back in 1978 when Ken started the firm. It was an opportunity for those who have long worked here to share memories with those who may not have been born at…

Amherst Site Visit

DiNisco staff visited the construction site for the future Amethyst Brook Elementary School in Amherst. Best practices are important, so visits to active construction sites are crucial for our continuing education, and provide opportunities to see how projects by other teams are progressing. The new 105,750 SF school for 575 K–5 students remains on schedule…

2025 Holiday Toy Drive

DiNisco staff participated in Interfaith Social Services’ Help for the Holidays program, donating toys for kids on the South Shore. https://interfaithsocialservices.org/help-for-the-holidays/

Martine Taylor celebrates 5 years at DiNisco

Five years ago, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, we were fortunate to have Martine Taylor join us at DiNisco Design, and she has been an integral part of our firm who keeps things running ever since. As our director of HR and finance, Martine immediately stepped in at that time and helped us…

ENR Ranks DiNisco Among Top Green Design Firms

Engineering News-Record (ENR) has recognized DiNisco Design among the Top 100 Green Design Firms of 2025. This prestigious list highlights the most impactful design firms in the United States, based on design-specific revenue. Ranking #87 this year, amidst MUCH larger firms, is incredibly gratifying. DiNisco’s commitment to working with communities to meet (and exceed!) their…

DiNisco Plays Ball!

DiNisco Design took some time to visit Fenway Park for a tour of Major League Baseball’s second oldest stadium (built in 1912!), before a matinee game featuring the Red Sox vs. the Athletics. The game didn’t go in the Sox’ favor, but it was a great day for office camaraderie and a learning experience for…

CREW Boston Golf Tournament

Recently, Donna DiNisco represented the firm at the 29th Annual CREW Boston Charity Golf Tournament held at Wellesley Country Club benefitting the CREW Boston Educational Foundation. The fearsome foursome of Donna, Ken White (Walsh Brothers), Janet Bernardo (Horsley Witten Group), and Wayne Jalbert (Hancock Associates) enjoyed themselves tremendously during the day.

Holiday Gift Drive

In lieu of a Holiday card this year, DiNisco Design’s staff sponsored four children and four teenagers through the Wonderfund organization. We hope everyone had a fantastic Holiday season, and stays warm and healthy during this first part of 2025!

ADA Celebrates 35 years

July 26, 2025 is the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) being signed into law. Over the years there have been amendments to the original law, and its positive impacts extend well beyond simply making the entry to buildings easier. Any of us who have directly benefited, or had family members whose…

Vivian Celebrates 10 Years at DiNisco

10 years ago we were fortunate to have Vivian Low, AIA join us at DiNisco Design, and she has been an integral part of our firm ever since. Vivian is a respected designer, project manager, and mentor for our staff, who demonstrates her enthusiasm and passion every day, and is well-liked and respected by our…

ENR East Ranks DiNisco Among Top Design Firms

Engineering News-Record (ENR) East has recognized DiNisco Design among the Top Design Firms of 2025 in the Eastern U.S. This prestigious list highlights the most impactful design firms operating in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia, based on…

New Amherst Elementary School Taking Shape

With the new elementary school in Amherst “topped off” a couple weeks ago, progress on its construction has been steady and it’s really taking shape. The new 105,750 SF school for 575 K–5 students is being built near the existing Fort River Elementary School with its anticipated completion in Fall 2026.

Countryside Elementary School Groundbreaking

On Monday, May 22 2025, the City of Newton held an official groundbreaking ceremony for the new Countryside Elementary School. Mayor Fuller recognized the DiNisco team for their efforts over the past couple years in making the new 75,000 SF school that will serve 465 students in grades K–5 a reality. Several current Countryside students…

DiNisco Design featured in NEREJ 2025 Women In Construction issue

DiNisco Design was featured in the New England Real Estate Journal's annual Women In Construction issue. In conjunction with National Women's History Month, every year NEREJ highlights women who are leaders and aspiring professionals within all aspects of our industry who can inspire future generations to pursue careers that will shape our built environment. DiNisco…

New Amherst Elementary School begins construction

A new 105,750 SF elementary school designed by DiNisco recently began construction in Amherst. The school will serve 575 K–5 students, and replace the Fort River and Wildwood Schools, both of which date back to the 1960s with antiquated open plan designs that are no longer considered effective for learning. When complete, the new facility…

Tim Cooper Promoted to Principal

March 3, 2025 (Boston, Massachusetts) —DiNisco Design is pleased to announce that Tim Cooper, RA has been elevated from Senior Associate to Principal in recognition of his significant contributions to the success of the firm. Currently, Tim is the lead architect of a new all-electric, net zero energy school in Amherst that recently began construction. During…

Welch School Dedication

It was a beautifully crisp fall day as the renovated William A. Welch Elementary School in Peabody held its official dedication ceremony in front of an enthusiastic crowd of city officials, staff, and students. Coincidentally, the ceremony was 50 years to the day since the ribbon was cut for the original building. The project began…

Angier Elementary School Receives National Blue Ribbon Award

Newton’s Angier Elementary School has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as one of nine schools in Massachusetts this year that earned a National Blue Ribbon Award. This award is conveyed on schools that display exemplary teaching and learning practices, thus serving as models for education nationwide. Angier principal Orla Higgins Averill attributed…

Xinhui Shares about Her Recent Class

Earlier in the year, our own Xinhui Zhang took a one-week course offered by Harvard’s Graduate School of Education through its Project Zero program https://pz.harvard.edu/ called Designing Learning Places. During an office lunch, she gave a presentation covering the many topics explored and demonstrating how this opportunity was such a valuable experience. As the sole…

Hoyt Bridge Dedication

A new pedestrian bridge connecting the Sgt. Jordan Shay Memorial Lower Elementary School to Woodsom Farm was held in Amesbury. The bridge was named in honor of retired longtime educator Peter Hoyt, the unofficial “President of Amesbury,” who has given so much to the City throughout his life, and shared his love of nature with…

Backpack/School Supplies Drive

DiNisco Design staff members participated in the Massachusetts School on Wheels (SOWMA) school supply drive, contributing 10 full backpacks and lots of extra supplies for students in need. SOWMA received requests for over 9,000 backpacks this year, and ultimately donations surpassed 10,000 backpacks, thus helping so many kids across Massachusetts. For more information about SOWMA:…

DeBerry-Swan Elementary School Awarded LEED Gold Certification

At DiNisco Design we have long prioritized sustainable design, as evidenced by the ever-growing list of completed projects that are LEED Certified and/or net energy zero (with some that operate net energy positive). The new DeBerry-Swan Elementary School in Springfield extended that track record by being certified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as…

Amesbury Feature Wall and Amesbury Carriage Museum

One of the most prominent features inside the new Sgt. Jordan Shay Memorial Lower Elementary School is the interactive feature wall that highlights aspects of Amesbury’s rich history. The Amesbury Carriage Museum (ACM) recently showed off how the wall is being used for the school’s curriculum. https://amesburycarriagemuseum.org/news/2024/4/12/education-news-bringing-history-to-life DiNisco Design’s project team was thrilled to bring…

Amherst Groundbreaking

The Town of Amherst held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Fort River Elementary School today. The new building will be a 105,750 SF school for 575 students in grades K–5. A supportive crowd turned out for the festivities that included remarks by dignitaries and stakeholders, all celebrating the beginning of construction for what will…

Greater Boston Foodbank Service Day

DiNisco held a day of service at the Greater Boston Food Bank, packing nutritious foods for senior centers in eastern Massachusetts. Over the course of six hours, two teams were responsible for packing over 20,000 meals (4,368 meals feeds a family of four over the course of one year). We enjoyed our time working with…

Woburn Fire Headquarters Honored with Two Awards

Working with our fire station design consultant Mitchell Associates Architects, a division of Wendel, in August 2023 we were pleased to complete the new Woburn Fire Headquarters. In September 2023, Firehouse Magazine named the Woburn Fire Headquarters as a Silver Station Design Award winner in the Career 1 station category for its 10th annual Station…