Almost doubling its footprint on the full third floor of the Brooklyn Navy Yard鈥檚 Building 77, the project creates 27,000 square feet of bright and comfortable classrooms, shops, lounge areas, and administrative zones. | Photo Credit: Garrett Rowland, Courtesy Spacesmith
By听Alexandra听Korestski听IIDA, NCIDQ,听and听William Wong,听AIA,听LEED AP听
How can school construction project teams tap into student creativity听and听make听their听project itself听a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience? In an East Coast STEAM school expansion build-out, school leaders and contractors, along with architects and interior designers from听Spacesmith, put the entire high school body in the driver鈥檚 seat to design their future.听
As designer and architect for this endeavor, the team learned to advocate for high school students in a new way. The process offers 鈥渁 roadmap for student advocacy and championing schools by letting students be an integrated part of their facility planning and design,鈥澨齛ccording to the local AIA chapter.听Designed听like听a STEAM workplace, the result 鈥� the听听in the Brooklyn Navy Yard,听a New York City Public School听鈥� is a 鈥渟chool built听with听students,听for听students,鈥澨齛nd a replicable process for high schools around the country.听
The roadmap for advancing student outcomes is anchored in the integration of curricular goals and enrichment planning with the design and construction of the school itself.听In this听case, the听school leaders envisioned their听STEAM Center to听resemble听a workplace,听an environment for听students听to听be treated as young professionals and听for them to听learn听skills and听hands-on trades that听are听applicable听to听real-world听occupations and industries.听Highlighting听and听elevating听all the inner workings that听comprise听the built environment, the project team could enrich a varied group of STEAM education subjects.听
Almost doubling its footprint on the full third floor of听the Brooklyn Navy Yard鈥檚听Building 77,听the project creates听27,000 square feet听of bright and comfortable classrooms, shops, lounge areas, and administrative zones. The entire space is听customized for academic success听in the school鈥檚 three departments 鈥� Building Trade Systems, Computer Technology Systems, and Engineering 鈥� and eight curricular听pathways including carpentry,听cybersecurity听and manufacturing.听听
Guided by the school鈥檚 distinctive, career-oriented curriculum, the project team and Brooklyn STEAM Center听sought听to engage students as emerging professionals. In听close collaboration with school leadership,听Spacesmith听helped shape the process around three key strategies that support student engagement through an interactive, hands-on approach:听
- Student听pre-design input.听The design team spent a day at the STEAM center听observing听the general operations, student听arrival听and听departure schedules as the Senior and Junior classes changeover from morning to afternoon, revisiting each area at multiple points throughout the day to see how each space is used.听听
- Design听input.听The design team led two design charettes with students听representing听each of the pathways, which was the main driver in the design for the common space.听听
- Construction听input.听During the construction phase, the design team and general contractor hosted monthly tours for the Construction Technology听student groups.听听
Through a collaborative design process with both students and staff at the Brooklyn STEAM Center, the听school鈥檚听layout moves beyond the pure efficiency of a typical classroom model to create a vibrant, flexible environment. Biophilic elements and movable furniture support a range of uses, allowing spaces to shift with daily needs. Curved lighting reinforces this sense of fluidity鈥攅voking waves and water in response to the Brooklyn Navy Yard setting鈥攚hile introducing听a natural听softness and enabling flexible furniture arrangements without reliance on fixed point lighting.听
Student input played听a central role听in shaping quieter, less stimulating areas for focus and privacy. In response, the design incorporates two smaller-scale lounge areas, or 鈥淔ocus Nooks,鈥� that provide retreat while听maintaining听appropriate staff听visibility.听
Glazed classroom entrances enhance transparency and connection, with color film patterns derived from the STEAM Center鈥檚 identity of abstracted tool forms. These openings draw daylight deeper into听the space听and offer glimpses into each classroom鈥檚 unique character and activity.听
In contrast to Building 77鈥檚 industrial palette, the design听layers in听warmth and vibrancy through acoustic panels, lounge furniture, and other student-driven elements. A pegboard installation above the pantry cabinets maps Brooklyn and partner school locations, serving as an evolving, participatory feature. Its kit-of-parts鈥攕imple shelves and interchangeable components鈥攁llows students to adapt and contribute over time, creating a living installation where each class can leave its mark.听
To address noise during class transitions鈥攁 key concern raised by both educators and students鈥攁coustic treatments are carefully integrated across floors, walls, and ceilings, supporting a more focused and comfortable learning environment.听
Materials throughout are school-grade and selected for durability, health, and minimal environmental impact, while also introducing a palette of organic, natural elements. Together with a range of varied, neuro-inclusive settings, the design supports the diverse ways students learn today. Each classroom is equipped with modular, highly flexible furnishings, allowing both students and instructors to adapt their environment to different teaching styles and modes of engagement.听听
In these ways and more, the expanded Brooklyn STEAM Center reflects the vision and ambition of its students. It serves not only as a place of learning, but as an inspiring launchpad for future educational pathways and professional lives.听听听
Alexandra Koretski, IIDA, NCIDQ, is a senior associate at Spacesmith. William Wong, AIA, LEED AP,听joined Spacesmith as an architect and project manager.