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PS 253-Q Elementary School

Far Rockaway, Queens

Urbahn designed this school to accommodate 650 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade.  The new 3-story building provides a nurturing learning environment while meeting the NYC Department of Education’s rigorous design standards and space efficiency mandates.  The corner property encompasses half a city block, with the building sited to reinforce the urban street wall.  Its primary entrance at the intersection of two streets results in maximum sidewalk assembly area.  To create a safe and protected environment, we configured the building to enclose outdoor play areas.  Urbahn’s design relates interior and exterior programs, with outdoor athletic areas adjacent to the gymnasium and early childhood play areas adjacent to the ground floor Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms.  The massing and façade display a playful articulation of material and color, including brick in several hues, limestone, cast stone, glass brick, and aluminum double-hung windows.

Client: New York City School Construction Authority
Photography: Woodruff/Brown Architectural Photography