Shaping Learning through Design
New Paltz Central School District
Award Winning Project
Serves Grades 6 - 8
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A New Addition
The addition to New Paltz Middle School—located in New York’s Hudson Valley—is a project combining functional needs while integrating with the beauty of its natural surroundings. The building massing and materiality draws inspiration from the nearby geographical formations of the Shawangunk Ridge (“The Gunks”). The project upgrades school facilities while respecting the site's history and setting.
The design of the addition is intended as an abstraction of these natural formations. The rock faces are articulated in the faceted, stepped building elevations and as large masses and materiality, set against the roof edge, reminiscent of a mountainous promontory. Light reflects against the building, an ever-changing play of light, shadow, and form. Materials were chosen to reinforce these concepts. The addition consists of a new main entry, classroom and specialty spaces, increasing usable teaching space to meet the evolving curriculum. The pinnacle of the addition is the media center, a 21st-Century Learning Environment designed for project-based learning.
Improving access and Building flow.
The addition also improves how the school works—providing a new main entrance, extra classrooms, and a courtyard that expand usable space and improve circulation. At the heart of the project is a modern library media center designed to support 21st‑century learning. Flexible, multi-use classrooms in part of the addition over the entry into the courtyard was known as the “Bridge of Education,” joining the existing building to the new in a dynamic way.
“I personally love the Gunks concept. Creating a structure that we can truly be proud of, that is something that our community can say is truly unique and exemplifies New Paltz.”
New Paltz Central School District BOE Member who was active during the design of this project.
Community Beacon
The combination of elements ties the building to the New Paltz community and, in the process, serves as a proud beacon for the school and the community.