Author Archives: fgdesign

Test News Post (Eastchester Ribbon Cutting)

The Eastchester Union Free School District held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, October 9th to mark the grand opening of their recently completed High School renovation and expansion project. Voters approved an almost $27 million-dollar bond to expand the high school building in October of 2015 and construction began in June of 2017. KG+D collaborated with the District on the high school project which upgraded and expanded key instructional spaces to meet the academic demands of a 21st Century Education and accommodate a significant increase in enrollment.

A major challenge for the 1927 High School was an increase in student enrollment. As a result, the District created temporary classrooms in an old gymnasium and had to implement four lunch periods in order to serve lunch to the entire student body. To address this challenge, the design solution sought to create additional instructional space, while also creating collaborative, forward-thinking Next Generation learning environments. State-of-the-art STEM labs created designated space for progressive program courses and the cafeteria expansion maximized the opportunity to create a student lounge and learning commons.

“I am so proud of our community and I am so happy for our students, said Dr. Walter Moran, Superintendent of Eastchester Union Free School District, “that they finally have a facility commensurate with the level of achievement and learning that they deserve.”

The final phase of the project will revert temporary classrooms that were created in the gymnasium space over 15 years ago, back into gym space which will increase practice and game space for the District’s 25 athletic teams.

Ossining Children’s Center

The Ossining Children’s Center has been a fixture of the local community for over 100 years and the goal of this project was to continue that tradition while bringing the facility into the 21st century. The new 28,000sf Arthur Samberg Building is a 3-story purpose-built childcare facility that replaced and consolidated OCC’s former outdated Victorian buildings. The structure is thoughtfully oriented on a 2.5-acre site to work within site limitations and optimize the views of the Hudson River. The program includes 14 classrooms for up to 225 children in age groups ranging from infants up to 12-year-olds. The facility also includes outdoor play areas for each age group, administration space, kitchen and a multipurpose space that can be used for indoor play, lunch and community events.

Yale University, Carol Roberts Field House

KG+D collaborated with Yale University on a fieldhouse for their field hockey and softball teams. The building is the first of its kind at Yale–a comprehensive space that meets the needs of two women’s teams funded by a woman. Situated between Johnson Field and Corral Field, the 5,900-square-foot facility includes locker rooms, a training room, a satellite coaches’ office, a team meeting space, and a second-story observation roof deck featuring a glass-walled event space.

Eagle Hill School, Hardwick House

KG+D completed additions and renovations to the Eagle Hill Schools’ Hardwick House. The project created a new main entry sequence, improved vertical circulation, renovated administrative offices and renovated and repurposed classroom and dormitory spaces. The Great Hall dining space was renovated and includes a new kitchen and servery, the option for private dining spaces and an adjacent outdoor terrace featuring a fire pit.

Trinity Pawling, Smith Field House

The Smith Field House project involved an addition that joined multiple disconnected athletic facilities—including a gymnasium, wrestling pavilion, squash courts and ice rink—to create a central athletic hub on campus. At approximately 30,000sf, the field house is now the largest building on campus, and it houses a gymnasium with two full basketball courts with upper-level spectator seating, a half court with workout space, a new main entry and lobby space, a terrace gathering spaces and an Alumni and Athletic Hall of Fame Room.

Bronxville High School, Auditorium Restoration

Originally built in 1922, the Bronxville School auditorium was urgently in need of reconfiguration and restoration. In spite of ongoing work to maintain the facility, by 2012 the auditorium was in a state of disrepair with missing seats, poor lighting, improper sightlines, and non-functional balcony that was no longer in use. Additionally, a 1960s renovation created a false proscenium over the original and closed in the tall windows on both sides of the auditorium. As a result, the renovated proscenium swallowed performance sound and the lack of natural light reduced the auditorium’s flexibility.

Le Chateau

The design team collaborated with Elegant Banquets on the renovation of the former Le Chateau restaurant into a banquet hall for weddings and events. The project included an addition of a banquet hall/event space with a dance floor and adjacent bar and renovations to the spaces connecting the existing structure including pre-function spaces and the cocktail lounge.

CV Starr Intermediate School

KG+D completed a two-story and four-classroom addition for the CV Starr Intermediate School. The addition was connected by new corridors and a stairwell and houses fourth grade classrooms. The wing has SGI classrooms on each level and the classrooms feature a moveable wall to allow for inter-classroom collaboration and custom casework to enhance storage and work display.

Fairview Country Club

The Fairview Country Club’s goal was to maximize the club’s offerings to its clients, without changing the structure that guests have come to know and enjoy. The project added two outdoor terraces and a grill room and renovated the main dining room, the lounge and lobby.

The reimagined entry sequence sought to create a memorable first impression that established the tone and feel of the club overall. The first touch point is open and welcoming and provides views to the new East Terrace and golf course.

KG+D’s President Calls for Development of Social Infrastructure

In response to the Journal News’ recent articles about the Regional Plan Associations plan for rail expansions and a study detailing NYC suburbs’ need for more transit-oriented homes, KG+D’s President, Russ Davidson, calls for the development of social infrastructure.

It is the schools, libraries, parks, town halls, police stations and fire stations that are the core of the social infrastructure that define our communities.

Read the full article here.

Yale University, Golf Learning Center + Driving Range

The design team collaborated with a higher education institution to develop a new Golf Learning Center and Driving Range that matched and supported their prestigious athletic programming. The design process explored several options with the final solution being a single-story facility with indoor/outdoor practice areas overlooking a new driving range. The facility includes Women’s and Men’s Golf Team Suites, a flexible Training Pavilion, and outdoor gathering and viewing terraces.

Post Road Elementary School

The project for the Post Road Elementary School involved the replacement of an aging traditional 1914 school building with a vibrant 21st Century educational facility that has earned an Energy Star rating of 100 and at the time completion it was the most energy-efficient public school in New York State. The goal was to create an inviting and engaging neighborhood school that supported the district’s emerging programming and enrollment needs while utilizing responsible design solutions.

Brewster High School, Innovation Lab

The project involved the renovation of the high school’s current library into a library/innovation lab that will include small group rooms, presentation and video area, small group learning spaces, large group learning spaces and a collaboration counter. The large group learning space will be flexible and will be able to be broken down into smaller group learning spaces as required. The innovation lab will feature soft seating, “graffiti boards,” charging stations, break out areas, working lounges and different types of collaboration spaces.

KG+D Projects Win AIA WHV Design Award

KG+D Architects won two design awards from the American Institute of Architects, Westchester Hudson Valley (AIA WHV).

One of the awards they received was an AIA WHV High Honor Award for their collaboration with Great Neck Public Library, in Great Neck, NY. The library’s main branch facility was transformed—generally within the footprint of the existing building—into a flexible 21st Century Library.

The second award received by KG+D Architects is the AIA WHV Honor Award for their collaboration with the Eagle Hill School, in Greenwich, CT. A new community room replaced a limiting theater with a 350-seat multipurpose space that can utilized for assemblies, events and performances as well as indoor recess and athletic activities.

KG+D was recognized at the AIA WHV Design Awards on Wednesday, October 11th, 2017 at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, NY. The event included a guided tour of the main gallery by the museum’s original architect – Richard E. Kaeyer, former principal of KG+D.

Rippowam Cisqua School:
New Upper Campus Ribbon Cutting

Pictured (left to right): Travis S. Schnell – KG+D Architects Associates, Andy Fox – Shore Harbor Project Advisors, Kirtley Cameron – Board President, Colm MacMahon – Head of School, Erik A. Kaeyer -KG+D Architects Vice President, Gregory Burns – Consigli, Jason Carrier – Consigli

After 15 months of construction, Rippowam Cisqua School’s Upper Campus project is complete! Head of School Colm MacMahon and Board Chair Kirtley Cameron cut the ribbon and officially opened the new facility to the entire RCS community, ushering in Rippowam Cisqua School’s one-hundredth academic year.

Photography: Minush Kraniqi and Peter T. Michaelis

More here.

Using Design to Protect Students from the Unexpected

Violence has a long history in U.S. schools, with recorded incidences dating back to the early-20th century. More recently, the concept of active shooters armed with military-grade weapons has found a permanent home in the American landscape. And that is changing how schools are designed.

Russell Davidson, principal and president of KG+D Architects, in Mount Kisco, NY, and former president of the American Institute of Architects, said that AIA members have been designing for security for some time now. These days, however, lessons learned from military and embassy projects have made their way into planning for K-12 schools and religious facilities, in particular.

As schools increase their security, however, the challenge is to make students feel like they’re still in a school setting rather than a prison or military installation.

See the Full Article.

KG+D Project Recognized by Learning By Design

The Eagle Hill School’s new Community Room was cited as an Outstanding Project by Learning by Design magazine.

The architecture of the community room captures the intimacy of the campus by creating a space that feels appropriate and welcoming for a group as small as 20 or as large as 350. The multi-purpose room was designed in keeping with the architectural aesthetic of the campus and is both dramatic and warm with a circular timber ceiling, clerestory windows and a expansive curved window wall.

See the full article.
See more about this project.

Public Engagement Phase of Cardinal Field Feasibility Study Begins

As part of the 2017-2018 Town approved Capital Plan, Greenwich Public Schools (GPS) administration has contracted with KG+D architects to conduct a Cardinal Field Feasibility Study. The purpose of the Feasibility Study is to review possible approaches to repairing and/or improving Cardinal Field and the grounds and facilities surrounding the field. The study will not result in a single plan, but a variety of options for the GPS administration and the Board of Education to consider.

More Information.

Summer Show Brings Out the Art in Wilton

It’s no doubt there are many talented people in Wilton, and the work of about 90 of them is on display at Wilton Library’s Summer Show, which opened July 14 and will run through Aug. 23. The show is a celebration of the work of artists from Wilton.

One of the pieces includes a very large charcoal rendering of a vintage Volkswagen Beetle. The Beetle was drawn by Erik Kaeyer, an architect with an office in Mount Kisco, N.Y. The sizeable drawing is the result of his picking up drawing again just six months ago.

“Architecture takes a very long time,” he said. It can be three to five years before a plan comes to fruition, if at all. With art, however, “I can sit down, clear my head, and focus on the design at hand in hours or days and have a product and feel a sense of accomplishment,” he said.

Kaeyer is considering doing a series on iconic vehicles like a vintage Mustang or Harley.

Read More Here.

KG+D Project Wins AIA WHV Design Award

Pictured: Erik J. Wilson, Associate Principal, Susan D. Davidson, Associate Principal and Brian O. Mangan, Associate

The KG+D team was honored to receive a High Honor Award from American Institute of Architects – Westchester + Hudson Valley Chapter for their collaboration with Bronxville Union Free School District on the historic restoration of their multi-purpose auditorium!

KG+D Project Recognized by Learning By Design

The Bronxville School’s renovated auditorium was cited as an Outstanding Project by Learning by Design magazine.

Originally built in 1922, the Bronxville School auditorium was urgently in need of reconfiguration and restoration. The design team was tasked with restoring the beauty and functionality of the original auditorium, while incorporating 21st-century design elements. The project redesigned the floor elevation and seating layout and created a fully accessible stage and seating area with a wraparound balcony that provides an intimate theatrical experience.

See the full article.
See more about this project.

Yonkers Library Will Get a Facelift

A $4.2 million makeover for the Yonkers Public Library’s Will branch will eliminate the multicolored panels on its facade and warm up the main reading room.

Every exterior part of the building except for the roof is going to be changed under this plan,” said library director Edward Falcone. “The building will be insulated for the first time. There is not a lick of insulation in that building, which is unfortunate. It’s not something they did 50 years ago.”

Full Article Here.

Jacob Burns Film Center, Media Arts Lab

The Media Arts Lab at the Jacob Burns Film Center is a 27,000sf education center offering instructional programs in many forms of filmmaking and multi-media production. The Film Center’s mission is grounded in developing 21st century literacy skills, including critical viewing and production skills which are essential for a generation growing up in a world in which media and technology are increasingly the way we communicate, participate in community and engage in democracy and the global economy. The demand for this program curriculum led the Film Center to launch a Campaign for 21st Century Education to provide for the design and construction of a “center for celebrating the stories that live in each and every person:” The Media Arts Lab.

The U.S. Green Building Council recognized the MAL for process and results in sustainable design by awarding it with LEED Gold certification. Key sustainable features of note include extensive day lighting, geothermal wells, photovoltaic panels, a green roofing system, low/no-flow plumbing fixtures, and local and recycled building materials. The facility was constructed on the site of an existing building which was deconstructed with 85% of the building materials being recycled. The owners were motivated by the concept that a building itself could function as an educational tool and “green fact” signs throughout the building call out sustainable features and elements with explanations and notes on the impact of choices.

Seven Bridges Middle School

The new Seven Bridges School is a 160,000 sf middle school that was built on a wooded 43-acre site. The campus is accessed from a long uphill winding driveway paralleling a feeder brook adjacent to the Croton Reservoir. The driveway connects into a perfectly circular loop road that wraps around the new school and lower athletic playing field. Symbolically, this physical and educational plan represents the development of both mind and body together. The building consists of classic materials including brick, cast limestone, natural wood detailing, and copper roofs. The design nestles into the slope of the site, and is one story on the uphill side and two-and-a-half stories from the approach up the driveway.

Pleasantville High School

This complex renovation and expansion of a traditional 1929 brick school building involved the addition of two new major wings at the front of the building and complete infrastructure replacement and restoration. New spaces included a new, state-of-the-art library/media center with telecast capability, science wing, cafeteria, guidance suite and administration. Infrastructure included heating plan replacement, HVAC, window replacement, replicate of slate roof, and masonry restoration.

Ridgefield Academy, The Bridge

KG+D collaborated with Ridgefield Academy to create a student-centered space that would accommodate the school’s emerging programming needs. The result of this collaboration is a brand new technology-rich library learning commons and digital arts lab named “The Bridge.” Major features include the traditional media-infused library, a gallery with flat panel screens to showcase student projects, a filming workshop with green screen technology, and a large Macintosh lab.

Orange-Ulster BOCES Regional Education Center at Arden Hill

Orange Ulster BOCES Regional Education Center at Arden Hill was a major adaptive reuse project of the former Arden Hill Hospital Campus. The project goal was to create a renovated facility that consolidated current programs in close proximity to the neighboring BOCES campus and provided space for increase enrollment and additional offerings. The challenge was to create a facility that was unrecognizable as a hospital campus and clearly identifiable as a welcoming and engaging learning environment.

Eastchester Middle School

The Eastchester Middle School was too small to meet the community’s growing needs and programs were overflowing into the adjoining high school spaces. The first phase of the design solution was submitted on a “fast-track” and included the work to reorient the rear entrance and create a construction staging area. The second phase of the project included a large addition to the middle school encompassing 14 new classrooms, 5 additional bathrooms, space reconfiguration, an elevator, an expanded cafeteria, relocation of the special needs classrooms and energy efficient improvements in heating and lighting.

The Harvey School, Arts Center

KG+D completed a new 24,100sf new Arts Center for The Harvey School. The visual and performing arts facility includes music, art and photography classrooms, video and dance studios and a gallery to display student work. The centerpiece of the project is a 3,400 sq. ft. black box theater designed to seat more than 200. The theater has movable partitions that open to create space for audience overflow into the gallery and as well as a flexible stage that can be moved to accommodate a variety of performances.

Trinity Pawling School, Scully Dining Hall

The objectives for the Scully Dining Hall project were to increase capacity to serve the entire student and faculty community in one seating and create a cornerstone to enhance the presence of the north entrance to campus. Scully Hall is 40% larger and operates 30% more efficiently than the building it replaced. The centerpiece is a 6,000sf main dining room that seats 400 diners at round tables beneath dramatic curved heavy timber trusses and clerestory windows.

Roslyn High School

Roslyn High School sought to transform an aging series of disconnected cafeteria spaces into a cohesive, technology-rich cafeteria commons for the students of Roslyn High School. The design solution removed cafeteria and corridor walls to create a bright, open commons with day lighting, views to the outside, access to an outdoor terrace, and 162 additional seats in a more flexible configuration. The Cafeteria Commons also features flat panel monitors, wireless technology and charging stations.

Henry H. Wells Middle School

Brewster Central School District sought to remake their 1957 middle school to create a renewed and efficient facility that could match their 21st Century curriculum and programming. The district’s goals were to enhance the overall efficiency of the building in terms of energy performance, grade-level clustering, scheduling, student flow, the potential for shared resources, and public use of facilities.

KG+D Project Wins AIA’s Excelsior Award

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Amy R. Paulin, a member of the State Assembly and Russell A. Davidson, FAIA KG+D president and AIA National 2015 first vice president/2016 president elect. Photo: Mt. Kisco Daily Voice

We are happy to announce that The Post Road School in White Plains was recently honored with the AIA’s (New York) Excelsior Award of Distinction in Public Architecture. Russell Davidson’s reaction provides some insight into the project’s process:

“As the majority of our firm’s work is based in publicly funded projects, our team takes pride in collaborating with our clients to develop a valid concept and exceptional design that is durable and economical for the owners, functional for the users and inspiring to the greater community. The sustainable, community focused, neighborhood school that developed through our collaboration with White Plains Public Schools is a direct reflection of the White Plains community.” —Russell Davidson 

Read more: Mount Kisco Daily Voice Westchester Magazine

Brian O. Mangan Named Associate

BrianFullSize

We are pleased to announce that Brian O. Mangan of Bronxville, NY has been named Associate of the firm. Brian joined KG+D in 2008 and since has been responsible for conceptual design and design development as well as architectural drafting, 3-D modeling, site inspections and project coordination assistance for mid to large-scale projects.

Brian’s project experience includes educational, municipal and residential. Brian has collaborated on projects for Bronxville Union Free School District, Brewster Central School District, Orange-Ulster BOCES, The Harvey School, Eagle Hill School and Trinity Pawling School. His most recent assignments include an intricate theater renovation for Bronxville High School, a new athletic facility for The Harvey School and an adaptive reuse project that transformed an aging hospital campus into a regional education center for Orange-Ulster BOCES.

Brian holds a professionally accredited Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Pennsylvania State University and he recently completed all requirements and has been granted a License to practice Architecture in the State of New York.

KG+D’s principals, Russell A. Davidson, FAIA, Erik Kaeyer, AIA and Walter Hauser, AIA all commend Brian for his significant contributions to the firm’s success and are sure that he will be an important part of its future. His promotion reflects the firm’s commitment to building a strong and dynamic team as well as our confidence in his continued ability to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients.

KG+D Project Recognized by Learning by Design

The Henry H. Wells Middle School was cited as an Outstanding Project by Learning by Design magazine.

Sustainable features and enhanced daylighting were an integral part of the design. Some of the sustainable features include daylight dimming controls, custom-designed horizontal and vertical sun shades, a high performance building envelope, insulated window glass, high-efficiency boilers, energy recovery ventilation, a solar thermal array for domestic hot water, a partial vegetative green roofing system and recycled flooring products and finishes.

See the full article. See more about this project.

Walter P. Hauser Named Firm Principal

We are pleased to announce that Walter P. Hauser, AIA has been named Principal of the firm. Walter possesses strong management skills with attention to design detail and an outstanding ability to interface and communicate with owners, consultants and contractors. Russell A. Davidson, FAIA KG+D President and Erik A. Kaeyer, AIA KG+D Vice President enthusiastically welcome Walter in joining them in the planning and management of operations of the firm.

Walter joined KG+D as a Project Architect in 2004 and continued to hold positions as an Associate and Associate Principal. Since joining KG+D, Mr. Hauser has designed and managed projects with a combined construction value of approximately $100 million. He has served as the project manager for significant projects including Westchester Community College Master Plan, additions and renovations to Somers High School, District-wide infrastructure upgrades for the White Plains City School District, Master Planning and District-wide renovations for Middletown City School District and Trinity Pawling School Master Plan and new Scully Dining Hall designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.

Walter holds a Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Architecture from Trinity College. Walter is a licensed architect in the state of New York and a member of the American Institute of Architects.

Walter has contributed significantly to the firm’s success and is an important part of its future in his position of leadership as firm Principal.

Celebrating 20 Years of Proud Partnerships

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On December 1st, 2014 KG+D Architects, PC officially marked 20 years of services to the Westchester/Hudson Valley region. On December 15th, the KG+D team was joined by clients, consultants, friends and family to celebrate 20 years of their dedicated support along with the successful projects and relationships cultivated over 20 years of positive collaborations.

KG+D Collaborates with Amani Public Charter School

KG+D has been collaborating with the Amani Public Charter school of Mount Vernon, NY to adaptively renovate and reuse a building on 60 South 3rd Avenue to create a 21st Century Learning Environment capable of housing all of Amani’s students. The grand opening of this new location on January 5, 2015 successfully consolidated all grade levels into the same space for the first time. In addition to building renovations, the project included a science lab and library addition.

News 12 coverage (Westchester)

5 questions for Debra Stern of Amani charter school (LoHud.com)

John Jay Middle School

Additions and renovations at John Jay Middle School included a new main entrance and lobby, a gymnasium, and an academic wing. Curving around the original student drop-off/pick-up loop, the new light-filled lobby was designed to solve two functional problems exacerbated by recent population growth: a single point of entry and extreme corridor congestion. The classroom and gymnasium addition in the rear respects the crisp modular 1970 original white concrete and black window mullions design while applying current materials and construction technologies.

John Jay High School

Additions and renovations at John Jay High School included a new science and classroom center. The major elements of this new classroom wing included universal science labs, general classrooms, small group instruction rooms, an administrative and conference area and new window walls in the original 1950s building. In addition to meeting the program goals, the design solution creates a cohesive building with improved circulation paths and a beautiful and unified exterior appearance.

Russell A. Davidson, FAIA Elected 2016 AIA President

“Many of our practitioners and firms, including my own, are fighting real battles every day to maintain and build value in the services we deliver, and to convince our clients to invest in quality design. The AIA can and should improve the perceived value of our profession which will yield positive results for all architects.”

RussDelegates to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) national convention in Chicago elected Russell A. Davidson, FAIA, (AIA Westchester Hudson Valley) to serve as the 2015 AIA first vice president/president-elect and 2016 AIA president. William J. Bates, AIA, and Francis M. Pitts, FAIA, will each serve as vice president from 2015 through 2016; John A. Padilla, AIA, as the Institute’s Secretary from 2015 through 2016.

Russell A. Davidson, FAIA, 2015 First Vice President/2016 President-Elect

Davidson, a former president of his local component in 1999 and president of AIA New York State in 2007, joined the AIA National Board in 2009 and served as AIA vice president from 2012-2013. Throughout out his national leadership tenure, Davidson has maintained a special focus on government and public advocacy for architects and architecture. Davidson practices with KG&D Architects in Mount Kisco, N.Y., where he has worked for 28 years, holding every position from junior draftsperson to managing principal. Davidson earned a degree in Architectural Aesthetics from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., and a MArch from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.

“Public awareness needs to become the lens through which the AIA views all of its efforts,” Davidson says. “With a renewed focus and prioritization of the many programs now in place, the AIA can and should be more relevant to practitioners and the public. Many of our practitioners and firms, including my own, are fighting real battles every day to maintain and build value in the services we deliver, and to convince our clients to invest in quality design. The AIA can and should improve the perceived value of our profession which will yield positive results for all architects.”

Link to full story

Two KG+D Projects Among Westchester’s “Most Beautiful”

Westchester Magazine recently included two KG+D buildings in an article entitled “Our 10 Most Beautiful Buildings.”

Featured: Seven Bridges Middle School and the Jacob Burns Film Center Media Arts Lab
Featured: Seven Bridges Middle School and the Jacob Burns Film Center Media Arts Lab

“While many buildings try to contrast forms and materials to create excitement, often with goofy effects, this building manages to combine diverse forms and materials with an easy elegance,” says Michael J. Molinelli of Molinelli Architects in Briarcliff Manor. “It shows that public buildings do not need to be austere and default to off-white walls and oceans of acoustic drop ceilings. It finds opportunities to display the architect’s crafts: manipulating space and light for stimulating interiors spaces and imposing facades.”*

Read the full article here.

Somers High School

Additions and renovations to Somers High School were planned and implemented as part of a bond referendum to address District-wide space needs. The original building had been expanded several times and lacked an identifiable, secure, front entrance. New additions placed a new highly visible entry corridor and main office suite and common areas—including a new four-station gymnasium, cafeteria and student commons—at the front of the building where they are accessible for athletic programs and community activities outside of school hours.

Somers Middle School

A steady influx of new housing in Somers led enrollment to grow by more than 1,000 students over a 10-year period. After extensive pre-bond planning, which included exploration of conceptual designs and budgets for a new middle school, KG+D helped the District develop a well-balanced, cost-effective plan for additions and renovations to their existing middle school. The additions included a new 630 seat auditorium, cafeteria expansion, new main entrance, a 2-story classroom additions, science labs and infrastructure upgrades.

The Kensico School

This new school for grades 2-5 was designed as a traditional country school in a contemporary vocabulary. Arranged in a “house” pattern, the building contains four different secondary corridors or “houses” that radiate out; one for each grade level and one for special education and special subjects. Shared community spaces including the cafeteria, library, main office, art and computer rooms are located in the main corridor and easily accessible to all grade levels.

Bedford Road Elementary School

This new K-4 school is a traditional village school that replaced Pleasantville’s original Bedford Road School, built in 1909. The design program led to a new building that is nearly twice the size of the earlier school and follows a house plan, with separate areas for kindergarten, and grades 1-2 and 3-4. By locating the kindergarten house close to the front entrance, Kindergarteners receive a “slow entry” into the public school environment. Every kindergarten room has its own toilet room and exit doors to exterior play areas and gardens. This floor plan eliminates the need for younger children to regularly cross paths with older children, even when traveling to shared spaces such as the cafeteria and gymnasium.

The new facility features a mini-theatre and full-size gymnasium on the north end of the school that can be closed off and utilized by the community outside of school hours. The cafeteria has expansive windows and skylights that allow in natural light creating a bright and inviting common space. Connecting classrooms support team teaching and provide added security. Other major elements include music and art suites, and a large library with a stepped reading alcove and adjacent technology classroom.

White Plains High School

Additions and renovations at White Plains High School included a new media center, a science wing, multiple cafeteria spaces and major alterations to the exterior. Originally built in 1962, the campus plan was dominated by the modernist concrete structural grid. The challenge was to sensitively renovate the exterior façade to create a more inviting group of buildings while respecting the original design. Still in fine shape, the structure became the framework to expand insufficient teaching spaces and replace aging building systems.

Horace Greeley High School

Part of a district-wide bond referendum for the Chappaqua Central School District, the primary focus of this addition and alterations project at Horace Greeley High School was to add a new science wing and reorganize and renovate all existing science labs. New construction totaled more than 50,000 sf and included a new guidance building, music wing and a classroom building that added fourteen new classrooms to accommodate increased enrollment. Two new student common areas were created and new connecting corridors were designed to link six previously separate buildings for a unified campus with improved circulation. The project also included an expanded guidance center new administration offices and main entrance, additional parking and infrastructure upgrades.

Westchester County, Playland Bathhouse Restoration

The project scope for the Playland Bathhouse Restoration included extensive abatement of hazardous materials, complete removal and replacement of roofing systems, replacement of masonry walls, survey of structural conditions, restoration of the building’s foundation, reconstruction and replacement of light monitors and clerestory windows. This project is designed to LEED Silver criteria level.

Capalongo Medical Building

This project originated with an existing Victorian house in poor repair which the owners sought to restore, expand and renovate for adaptive reuse as professional dental and medical offices. In order to meet the owner’s goal of designing an open floor plan with large amounts of natural light while maintaining the residential feel of the surrounding neighborhood, KG+D designed a modern, two-story building addition that is minimally visible from the front approach. At the intersection between new and old, a clear visual separation was created between old and new with materials such as zinc-coated copper metal panels and full-height wood mullion framed windows.