Harlem School of the Arts – Renaissance Project

Project Description

Overview

Musician/philanthropist Herb Alpert, co-founder with his wife, Lani Hall, of the Herb Alpert Foundation, have funded the core element of the $9.5 million Harlem School of the Arts  “Renaissance Project.”  Following discussions with WSDG Founding Partner, John Storyk, the Alpert’s were convinced that the leading architectural/acoustic/systems design firm embodied a philosophical synergy that fully aligned with their goals for the school building’s renovation.

Program

WSDG Partner/COO/Project Manager, Joshua Morris describes the scope of the project as, “An ambitious opportunity to establish a multi-purpose performance space for Harlem School of the Arts students.  The building’s 3500 square-foot main lobby features a two-story high glass wall facing St. Nicholas Avenue,” he adds.

Design

The renovation of the entire 45,600 square-foot building is distinguished by the replacement 40-year-old building’s original two-story ‘Brutalist-style’ brick exterior.  That structure was replaced by a double-height, glass wall angled at 5-degrees off the vertical, and analogous to the Appel Room which WSDG helped create for the Jazz At