Christopher Columbus Family Academy is a dual-language public school which provides a transition between a very active commercial and retail artery and the surrounding area. Features include an interior courtyard, sculpture and brick tapestry wall that reflects the diversity of the multi-cultural neighborhood.

As with other schools designed by Svigals + Partners, this facility offers controlled access to parts of the building for use by the neighborhood after school hours and on weekends. Several outdoor spaces were designated specifically for community use. A plaza on the commercial street offers space for weekend festivals while a small stage and playing fields are used for local events.

The school was built using sustainable elements within high-performance criteria and met Energy Star guidelines by integrating daylighting, artificial light and occupancy sensors. Windows at the end of each hallway and in every classroom maximize daylight penetration.

Figurative sculptures based upon a theme of "Discovery" are integrated into the building’s façade. Panels depicting currents of air and water connect to wind-related images set within – hot-air balloons, kites, paper airplanes, windmills – this imagery is a touchstone for connections to the school’s interdisciplinary curriculum. This "Buildings that Teach" approach was recently featured in The New York Times.