MEETH

Location: New York, USA

Design Director: Raya Ani

Company Name: EEK Architects

Category: Institution

The challenge was to preserve the building’s original 1917 shell while accommodating a completely new program, including the addition of a top-floor gym and a rooftop playground. The design incorporates an undulating, perforated screen to both camouflage the height of the gym and provide a protective enclosure for the playground. Composed of alternating bands of red and orange, the screen adds a playful, modern element to the building’s historic facade while subtly picking up on its proportions. [OPTIONAL: The screen also recalls the building’s original rooftop trellis, further linking the old to the new.] The alternating bands of color continue inside the school where they are used to help reenergize the corridors and add a sense of movement and dynamism.

“We wanted the building to be much more than just a container for the school; we wanted both its exterior and interior to express the tremendous energy of the school and its students. By adding color and bold forms, we tried to give the building a new dimension while at the same time preserving its historic beauty and saving its shell,” says Raya Ani, a Design Leader at EE&K Architects.