As Project Manager at Hudson Studio Architects for the design of this 3,500 square foot New York City preschool, I was involved in the project from Design Development through Construction Administration. The client, the Blue Man Group, values creativity, playfulness and differentiated learning styles, so the design employs permeable interior dividers and tackable Forbo cork to allow for flexible and innovative usage. Only a few traditional walls were constructed; all other walls are combinations of cabinetry, glass, and custom oversized doors. As is common in New York, space is scarce, so many of this school’s spaces serve multiple purposes. The mechanical systems were left exposed but re-routed and painted to visually organize the ceiling. The tube lighting fixtures blend in with the mechanical pipes and the colorful talk tubes integrate the ceiling-scape with the rest of the Blue School.
This project was featured in “The New York Times” and on NPR, PBS, the BBC, and NBC’s Today Show.
Materials Plan, 1st floor entrance & 2nd floor school
The thickened hallway has multiple uses. (photographs courtesy of HSA)
The Mud Room and The Soft Room (photographs courtesy of HSA)
Custom doors allow rooms to combine and natural light to reach the interior hallway. (photographs courtesy of HSA)
Occasionally the clerestory glass extends down to kid-height, providing views between spaces. (photographs by Eva Jermyn)
(photographs by Eva Jermyn)
Blue School, Hudson Studio Architects, New York, New York, 2008
EVA JERMYN 