Stephen Gaynor School and Ballet Hispánico

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Stephen Gaynor School and Ballet Hispánico

The new tower of the Stephen Gaynor School houses a k-8 school for children with learning differences on its lower seven floors. The top three floors are home to the Ballet Hispánico.

The first floor lounge provides a casual place for students and faculty to interact. ©David Sundberg/ESTO

The former site’s brownstone stair was easy for students to navigate and was a social center.

The new Gaynor stair creates two smaller schools joined by a floor of shared programming; the intimacy of the brownstone is retained, and in a space that allows for growth.

Atrium stair

The design addresses the unique needs of students who often have orientation and navigation challenges. Recapturing the intimate spirit of the school’s former small brownstone site by dividing the program into upper and lower schools, the facility is stitched together with a generous atrium stair. ©Paul Warchol

©Paul Warchol

The concrete transfer trusses, seen here from the first floor, are a defining element both inside and out. ©Paul Warchol

On the lower floors the stair is more contained; on the upper levels it expands toward the building perimeter, with views to the city from landings.

©David Sundberg/ESTO

©David Sundberg/ESTO

©David Sundberg/ESTO

The overscaled window in the library becomes a defining feature from the exterior. ©David Sundberg/ESTO

Sketch of concrete transfer truss

©Paul Warchol

Ballet Hispánico

The Ballet Hispánico houses three large studios with locker rooms, new offices, and services for the company and school staff. Each studio has panoramic views of the city to the north and south. Waffle slab construction allows column-free studios. © David Sundberg/ESTO

Year: 2009
Location: Upper West Side, New York
Client: Stephen Gaynor School & Ballet Hispanico
Typology: Academic
Size: 51,500 SF
Design Team: Petersson Viggo, Thaddeus Briner, Lissa So
Consultants: Severud Associates, Flack & Kurtz, Reg Hough (Concrete), Hansen
Awards: AIA NY State Award of Merit, Boston Society of Architects, K-12 Educational Facilities Design Award, AIA NYC Architecture Merit Award
Photography Credits: David Sundberg, Amy Barkow and Nathan Sayers

Stephen Gaynor School and Ballet Hispánico

Stephen Gaynor School and Ballet Hispánico

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