HARLEM HEBREW LANGUAGE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

Harlem, New York | 2017

Educational K-8

Firm: BL Companies

Role: Senior Project Designer

Harlem Hebrew Language Academy Charter School contained grades K-2 and could not support the expansion of further grades. We developed a solution to expand the existing building an additional 20,000sf on a vacant portion of its lot to the North to provide an additional 6 grades. The renovation of the existing structure also includes space for a new cafeteria, rooftop play space, administrative spaces and installation of new mechanical and life safety systems. In addition, the building will be upgraded to meet current building codes. The new addition will include additional classrooms, elevator and restrooms to support the building expansion.

The school shares the site with a former church, converted to a community center, and future residential building. BL Companies performed a careful analysis of the site and worked closely with our client and the developer/landlord to establish the best use of the property available and maximize the available lot coverage. Sensitive to the historic context of the Harlem community, we designed the building to fit in with its neighbors through the use of color, proportion, scale, and material selection. Our design is respectful to surrounding buildings, especially the original school and neo-Gothic church; however, it maintains its identity as a modern building.

As designer on this project, my responsibilities included producing feasibility planning studies for the addition, developing schematic drawings and facade studies, and executing construction documents. During the production of construction documents, my role included extensive work and research developing and detailing the exterior rainscreen wall system, which includes the use of fiber cement panels.