King/Robinson Magnet School
New Haven, Conn.
Davis Brody Bond

Park-like setting replants school into its neighborhood

© Elliot Kaufman

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The original King/Robinson Magnet School building, an unremarkable concrete structure housing 650 students in grades K through 8, was razed to create a park-like campus. Built into a hillside, the new 98,400-square-foot structure decreases in scale to harmonize with the surrounding residential neighborhood. The park and playing fields create a foreground for the school while the structure’s lower profile restores views across the landscape.

The existing school, located at the center of the site, remained open throughout new construction—constraining where Davis Brody Bond could site the new building. Using this challenge to their advantage, the architects’ design emphasizes connections with the natural landscape and provides clear orientation of building elements. An atrium at the core of the school facilitates three-dimensional interaction and provides students with a clear understanding of the campus’s layout. Two courtyards function as “village squares,” featuring informal meeting spaces that teachers can easily monitor. Glazed brick in various colors highlights different functional areas throughout the building.

The architects designed flexible components that increase the school’s spatial capabilities. These included an outdoor stage; a panelized wall system between the cafeteria and auditorium that can be used to reconfigure the space into a multipurpose community auditorium; and a mezzanine stage in the gymnasium, which doubles as additional performance and meeting space.

By orienting the building on a north-south axis, the architects maximized its exposure to natural light. Large expanses of glass and an emphasis on transparency create a dynamic play of light and shadow that indicates the time of day, as if the building itself were a sundial. Skylights flood the gymnasium and auditorium with light that reflects off the brick walls, animating these large spaces. In keeping with Connecticut’s energy guidelines, the architects incorporated perforated metal sunshades, fritted low-E glass, and energy efficient roof and wall systems.

Formal name of Project:
King/Robinson Magnet School

Location:
New Haven, Conn.

Gross square footage:
98,400 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$22 million

Owner:
New Haven Public Schools

Architect:
Davis Brody Bond
315 Hudson St.
New York, NY 10013
212-633-4700 tel.
212-633-4760 fax
www.davisbrody.com

From left to right: Christopher K. Grabé, AIA, J. Max Bond, Jr., FAIA, Jennifer Marsh, AIA