SITE CONDITIONS: The design addresses the challenges of a very narrow and long lot of 600’ x 66’ (180m X 20m) in a diverse urban context with elevation drop of 10’ (3m) between NW and SE corner. The school occupies the east portion of the lot, shared with an administrative building for a governmental agency on the west, with a public space between them.The school is adjacent to the historic Kingsbridge Armory on the south, which is in process of being transformed into a National Ice Center for hockey and skating. There is a functioning elevated metro line on the east of the project site. The neighborhood on the north consist of schools and residential apartment buildings.
PROGRAM: The project is an extension of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, intertwining the school program with the civic and cultural needs of the community.
Cellar: swimming pools; Ground floor: school entry, commons, public auditorium, school forum, cafeteria / cafe; Mezzanine: auditorium, commons, media center / library, administration; Levels One to Four: six learning communities, each consisting of 4 or 5 classrooms clustered in groups around common spaces for informal learning and interaction. Levels Four and Five: gymnasium at the west upper floors. Roof Level: playground / garden.
DESIGN INTENT:
The overall concept for the school is to compliment the vision of revitalizing the neighborhood by transforming the existing and decommissioned historic Kingsbridge Armory and its peripheral areas into a National Ice Center .
The School is an extension of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center intertwining education and sports with the civic and cultural needs of the community. The auditorium, gallery, swimming pool and cafeteria, have all been envisioned as shared spaces for neighborhood use after school hours. An independent entry from the street flanking the north side of the parcel provides public access to these programs while maintaining security requirements.
The main entry to the school is from the East, facing a community gardens. It leads to a spacious lobby flanked by forum seating for all-school gatherings. The forum extends into the main circulation system: the public stairways, which as an organizational spine promotes social interactions and fosters a sense of belonging to a larger community of users.
The class rooms are organized as learning communities, each consisting of 4 or 5 classrooms clustered in groups around common spaces for informal learning and interaction. Every two learning communities share a pair of science laboratories.
The direct link to the Ice Center offers unprecedented access to a world class sports facility with an additional gymnasium located on the top school floors. The roof is an open-air playground overlooking the neighborhood.
In a further effort to serve and compliment the neighborhood, there are numerous features helping to meet the goal of becoming a thoroughly sustainable school, including: a building-integrated photovoltaic system, radiant cooling and heating, energy conservation and water reclamation strategies, and recycled and renewable materials used for construction.
The spacial arrangement, the functional organization and the sustainable approach meet the objective of introducing a learning environment which ignites curiosity, positivity and creativity in students, educators and community.
Credits
The Bronx, New York, NY, USA
Kingsbridge National Ice Center Partnership
12/2018
8500 mq
Studio Antares A + E
DesignTeam: Pavel Getov (Principal in Charge); Alex Getov, Tomasz Szymanski (Lead Designers), Ivan Ivanov, Anthony Morey; Project Assistants: Nedi John, Dimana Tzvetkov
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Studio Antares A + E
Curriculum
Studio Antares A+E is a collaborative practice with aim on integration of architecture, arts and environment through emphasis on advanced methods of project delivery. We operate in a think-tank type of environment assembling team of experts for the particular needs of each job. Based in Los Angeles, California and practicing throughout the United States and around the world, we strive to understand the specific cultural context of each task that we undertake and to find a unique solution for each particular challenge.