The Speyer Legacy School
New York, NY

65,000 SF • 8,000 SQ M

The Speyer Legacy School, a new, independent, co-educational K-8 school in Manhattan, was established in 2009 to meet the needs of children who are advanced learners. Four years after its founding, the school embarked on an ambitious capital campaign in order to build a new 85,000 sf facility in existing space on Manhattan’s west side. The concept envisioned a dramatic double height entry commons, inserted into an existing landmark building, which serves as the gateway into this unique educational experience.

The core and shell space of an adjacent building was transformed into classrooms, STEM labs (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), a performing arts wing, a media center, a dining room, a chess room, an outdoor terrace and recreational facilities. Classrooms are equipped with Smart Boards to facilitate instruction and expand the children’s boundaries beyond the walls of the school. Designed as a green school using sustainable materials, the facility will serve the long-term growth of the student body.

(Photography by Paúl Rivera)