Page 19 - Winter_2020

Central corridor in the
existing building before renovation.
Courtesy of R. McGhee & Associates

Early Education Learning Commons, with entry to the gymnasium at right. Photo © Judy Davis

outdoor learning spaces, the modernization features a pods as well as to the school’s common spaces on both
60,000-square-foot addition that more than doubles the the first and second levels. The former auditorium
size the original school. The exterior stone and brick becomes a new media center/maker space that is a
of the historic building are echoed in the variation central and flexible focus for daily school activities.
of red brick and masonry of the new construction. Where the new and historic buildings meet and where
At the base of the historic building, the transition floor alignments transition is an open collaborative
between the stone and red brick is referenced in space, termed the Nexus, which offers views of the
the new construction and ties the two together. The entry and cupola.
addition’s massing, articulation, window placement, A cafeteria is tucked into the lower level at the
and materials complement rather than overwhelm corner of the building. This placement allows the
the original building. The school’s distinctive cupola cafeteria to function independently for community
continues to dominate the original entry façade and meetings and voting, and provide a rooftop play space
students can catch glimpses of it as they move through for the youngest children. This below-grade level also
the building interior. provides parking for 25 cars.
Reoriented toward Davenport Street, a new entry The interior is defined by ample natural light,
and lobby are located in the glassy connection between views to the outdoors, and durable materials. Wood
the new and old buildings. Adjacent to the lobby slatted ceilings and exposed brick provide organic
are two classroom wings or “pods” separated by an elements in various locations. In places where it was
outdoor learning garden that is accessible to the pre-K not possible to salvage the old terrazzo flooring, it was
and kindergarten common areas on the ground level. replaced with new but similar terrazzo. In the 1930s
Open space between these pods allows natural light to building, many “character-defining features” were
flood the classrooms and helps break down the overall retained, such as millwork and Palladian windows.
scale of the addition. “There were a number of site issues that could
From the lobby, a new circulation spine joins the be viewed as either challenges or opportunities,”
older building to the new classroom and gymnasium recalled McGhee. “We always tried to see them as

SCHOOLS ON A MISSION 17