A 50,266 sq. ft. addition to an existing 66,000 sq. ft. school located in a NY State registered historic building
The new five story school is developed as a 50,266 sf addition to the existing 66,000 sf school, with classrooms for Kindergarten through Grade 5 as well as specialized instruction for art and music. The existing school is a NY State registered historic building (SHPO), thus the addition harmonizes itself with the original structure through its massing, materials, fenestration and detailing.
The new addition locates itself as an added leg to the existing ‘L-shaped’ building, resulting in a ‘U-shaped’ structure. As a result of the sloping site, the new lobby is mid-level relative to the existing floor elevations. This provides opportunity for high ceilings and large windows allowing daylight to penetrate through the lobby deep into the cafeteria below.
Centrally located at basement level, the cafeteria serves as a “collector” of the major vertical circulation elements of both the existing building and new addition. The cafeteria faces south and directly accesses the play yard, which allows it to also serve as line-up space, offering three major routes into the main school building. The roof of the cafeteria can be used as a large outdoor terrace for school activities.