At a pre-K–12 school in the heart of brownstone Brooklyn, the Packer Collegiate Institute Garden reconceives a historic courtyard within a smaller footprint – supporting operations and unifying this eclectic campus around ecology, play, and flexible social and event spaces. An new expansion of the lower school by WXY left no option but to... Continue Reading
At a pre-K–12 school in the heart of brownstone Brooklyn, the Packer Collegiate Institute Garden reconceives a historic courtyard within a smaller footprint – supporting operations and unifying this eclectic campus around ecology, play, and flexible social and event spaces. An new expansion of the lower school by WXY left no option but to occupy the inner courtyard’s beloved, treehouse-like play area. Starr Whitehouse was engaged with recapturing this play-in-nature experience in a more prominent location while improving outdoor circulation, security, operations, and social space. The new design transforms this pavement-heavy courtyard into a sensorial, multifunctional green space. Garden “rooms” accommodate small gatherings and large events, while accessible paths connect buildings at different floor elevations. A new nature playground invites children to encounter native plants and a coursing bioswale. Rain gardens, permeable materials, and retained mature trees reduce maintenance and improve air and water quality – integrating sustainability and nature into students’ daily experience.
Photos: © Albert Vecerka/ESTO
Aerial photograph courtesy Packer Communications
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