MBB designed the expansion of an existing building for Grace Church School in New York City, adding a new top floor structure for a double-height gymnasium and athletic center. 

The highly flexible, 14,000-square-foot addition provides a variety of spaces for different physical activities and academic uses, thoughtfully integrated within the school’s existing footprint. The addition sits on floating acoustic slabs to eliminate noise transmission to classrooms and other academic spaces below.

The design solution creates a warm and inviting interior environment filled with natural light from an array of long skylights and large windows. The new arched-roof steel roof encloses multipurpose, open areas to accommodate courts for team sports as well as all-school gatherings and events. The expansion also adds new offices, locker rooms and storage areas, and a new fitness center, all serving diverse programmatic needs. The new facility’s material palette of glass, wood, and steel structural elements complements Grace Church School’s original building and interiors.