The Calhoun School Commons & Learning Center

A private pre-K–12 school for students on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the Calhoun School comprises an original five-story concrete and travertine base dating to 1973. Following a four-story expansion that we completed in 2005, the school required a second phase of expansion to address its added growth. Among its circulation and space shortages, the shared dining commons had become too small for the students, requiring tiered lunch sessions that disrupted and hindered the curriculum. Following a feasibility study, a review of the school's long-term planning, and an exploration of various options for further expanding the facility, we designed a second phase of expansion to focus on relocating and reorganizing existing spaces for greater efficiency, while keeping the school open during construction. The resulting renovation reprioritizes interior spaces, while also maximizing and clarifying its street-facing presence and intake of natural light. The library was relocated from the ground level to a lower level with clerestory windows, opening up the main volume to allow for the cafeteria and a much-needed multipurpose area, activating highly engaged social spaces that serve as the school's social core.