Does the current plan have bells and whistles?

Is there a way to build a new building for much less, e.g. if we just built a giant box with no wings, fewer windows, no curve? A “big box” would have no benefit on the cost of the project and would have a negative impact on student health and wellness in terms of access to natural daylight, views, and natural ventilation. There are architectural details that some might consider “bells and whistles” but simple things like classroom wings do not cost more simply because of their shape, and provide significant educational, health, safety, and flexibility benefits. Generally, school buildings in the state of MA will cost a minimum $$/square foot no matter what is done, so the big driver on any project is student enrollment which dictates size. All of these are crucial in sustainable design and sound school design principles. The geometry of the building would also have less of an impact because the “learning curve” would be more insinuated on the interior and the exterior would be more traditionally arranged.