Brooklyn-based architectural studio Circular has completed the adaptive reuse of a partially constructed commercial building into a new public preschool. Guided by Passive House standards, the project is a welcoming and sustainable community initiative.
The Corona 3K Public Preschool is located in Corona, a diverse and fast-growing neighborhood in the Queens borough of New York City — here, more than 30 percent of residents are under 18 years old. The preschool sits on a busy corner site, adjacent to an elevated subway train. “The design and engineering prioritized creating excellent indoor air quality, ensuring that occupants are shielded from outdoor pollutants, while also providing mitigation of outside noise,” says Circular.
The preschool was created by Circular as part of the “New York City School Construction Authority’s fast-track 3K Capacity Program.” (This program seeks to expand access to high-quality early childhood education by providing free places for 3-year-old children in public schools. To meet demand, existing buildings or those under construction are repurposed for use as schools.) To realize the project and meet stringent school standards and enhanced energy performance targets, Circular quickly adapted a partially constructed commercial building by updating the facade, core, and interior layouts: “The accelerated program timelines allow only 90 days for complete design and engineering in order to meet a 15-month schedule for project turnover,” says the studio. The adaptive reuse of the building maintained most of the structure and infill materials, thereby reducing waste and helping to meet the project’s tight deadline.
The preschool’s bright rainbow-colored exterior sets the building apart, acting as a cheery beacon to both children and parents within the fast-growing Corona neighborhood. Interior spaces were designed by Circular: in the entrance lobby, geometric wall tiles and a luminous overhead oculus frame the welcome desk; seven classrooms are spread across two levels and additional facilities include a medical room, general office, staff rooms, a lounge for parents, and a colorful playroom; a basement level houses the kitchen, technical, and utility spaces. Children’s artwork lines the corridors and each classroom is identified by a signature color, used on doors, frames, accent floor tiles, millwork, and interior elements — these colors echo the building’s multicolored exterior.
Sustainability is a key component of the 3K Capacity Program’s new preschool buildings — there is an emphasis on reducing any environmental impact and lowering operational costs. “Through a commitment to high performance sustainability rooted in Passive House principles, the adaptive reuse project significantly reduces energy consumption and embodied carbon,” says Circular. “We developed a hybrid wall assembly that improved the existing infill materials with a continuous air barrier and significant amounts of additional wall and roof insulation to dramatically boost thermal performance.” The mass of the existing concrete block infill was also utilized by the studio to act in concert with the added insulation layers, assembly air gaps, and new locally-produced triple-paned windows — these windows are especially beneficial in terms of mitigating noise from the elevated subway train which passes less then ten feet (three meters) from the preschool’s upper level. On the roof, a Dedicated Outside Air Unit (DOAS) conditions the air to provide clean and filtered fresh air throughout the preschool’s interior spaces.
Gross floor area: 18,000 square feet (1,672 square meters)
