PS1 Bergen School Library
Brooklyn, NY
Providing a civic identity for a new library within a public elementary school, with customized spaces for different age groups
The PS1 Bergen School Library Project was part of the Robin Hood Foundation Library Initiative, a program whose long-term mission was to have all NYC children reading at grade level or above. The aim of the project was to transform two classrooms into a library that could accommodate 10,000 new books, house an instructional area with tables and seating for up to 30 second to fifth graders, and a reading-aloud space for 30 younger children.
MPA created an integrated assembly of custom designed Work Tables, a reading “Stage” with a kid-friendly floor, and, in collaboration with Pentagram, a set of large-scale graphic identity elements, including a frieze of children’s drawings, the LIBRARY bench, the WELCOME door, and a colorful multi-layered ceiling. Through MPA’s advocacy, elements of the library extend outward into the corridor and stairwell, maximizing the project’s contribution to the overall identity and atmosphere of the school.
Completion Date
2005
Collaborators
Client: Robin Hood Foundation Library Initiative
Graphic Design: Pentagram
Construction Manager: F.C. Sciame
Photography
Peter Mauss, Esto
Recognition
Building Brooklyn Award, 2008
Design Share Award, International Forum for Innovative Schools, 2005