Community room.

The 350-seat multipurpose room was designed in keeping with the architectural aesthetic of the Eagle Hill campus, which is on the grounds of what had once been the Marjorie Merriweather Post estate. The community room is both dramatic and warm with a circular timber ceiling and clerestory windows. The architecture captures the intimacy of the campus—with a 253-student enrollment—by creating a space that feels appropriate and welcoming for a group as small as 20 or as large as 350. Additionally, an expansive curved window wall blurs the lines between the picturesque, wooded campus grounds and the interior timber trusses while providing ample natural light. The window wall is shaded with acoustically conscious window shades that provide full control of the lighting levels to suit the needs of each specific performance or event. The addition of both fixed and telescoping seating addressed the critical design challenge of creating a dually functional space. The telescoping seating can be moved flush against the wall as required to create an open space that can be utilized for indoor recess activities, physical education classes and athletic events.