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PS 54: Drama & Durability Bring This NYC Elementary School to Life Bronx, NY… The new pre-kindergarten through fifth grade school includes general classrooms, science, computer and art rooms, library, cafeteria, gymnasium, auditorium, and administrative and support spaces for 600 students. Each of the building’s five floors has a theme color expressed through the ceramic glazed unit masonry walls and vinyl tile floors of the corridors, as well as through the student lockers within the classrooms. The classroom doors are framed in a portal of the theme color structural tile. The Concept The interior of this elementary school is a vibrantly colored metaphor of earth and sky, complete with color-themed floors which brighten as they reach toward the sky, evolving from the deep red used for the earth-bound ground floor to the sunny yellow of the top floor.
Ceramic Glazed Masonry: The Right Choice According to the project’s architect, Robert Kliment of R.M.Kliment & Frances Halsband Architects, “We chose this product because it was durable and easily maintained, but just as importantly, the choice of ceramic glazed masonry made it possible to bring our ideas to life, with colors as bright and true as we envisioned in the planning stages.” Paul Tauer of Stark Ceramics, the manufacturer of the product added, “By investing in color, the school board was able to bring a school filled with life into the community. The great thing about this product is that it will continue brightening the halls and the lives of those within them for generations to come.” Kliment sums up his experience with ceramic glazed masonry on this project saying, “Without the beautiful colors and finishes of the ceramic glazed masonry product, we wouldn’t have been able to execute our idea so well. The accommodating spirit of the manufacturer and the fact that it holds up so well make it an ideal product for schools.” Just the Facts
For Additional Information Robert
Kliment, FAIA Palatine, IL… Due to increasing enrollment levels, Township High School District 211, in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, faced a much-needed expansion and renovation at Palatine High School. The phased construction project included a 48,000 square foot addition and the renovation of an additional 13,000 square feet of existing space. The floor plan layout resolves horizontal circulation issues on all three floors by connecting the previously-separated academic wings of the building. The monumental ceramic glazed masonry stair tower located at the corner of the addition resolves the vertical circulation problems while becoming the focal point of a relatively windowless existing building. The Concept This project expanded and updated an existing high school, integrating the new structure with the old, using a school-spirited color theme – the red and gray of the fighting Pirates – to tie the whole facility together. The structural glazed tile is a primary material on the interior and uses the same colors as an accent material on the exterior.
Ceramic Glazed Masonry: The Right Choice The professional team in charge of this project was 100% behind the use of ceramic glazed masonry as the material that would serve as the bridge between the old and new construction when Palatine High School recently underwent a major $9 million expansion and renovation. The school district, however, needed to see the benefits for themselves. Facilities Director Steve East orchestrated a series of material tests right in his office which subjected several different products to the wear and tear a school environment entails. After graffiti was applied with a permanent marker and the surfaces were scratched with a pocket knife, only the ceramic glazed masonry products remained unscathed. Mr. East knew which material he would be using in his new high school. John Pacyna, the consultant who works with the district on all of its construction projects, echoed East’s sentiments, saying that ceramic glazed masonry “is the best product I’ve seen for schools in 35 years. No matter how the kids try to deface it, 99% of it can be removed with a little soap and water.” He notes that while the initial purchase price of structural glazed brick and tile is a little more than other building products, the investment pays off down the road because you don’t ever have to repaint or replace it. Architect
Richard Cozzi agrees, saying of the product, “I like it. It’s
maintenance free and you never have to do anything to it once it’s
installed. It is truly abuse-resistant and can stand up to anything the
kids can dish out.”
For Additional Information Steve
East Richard
P. Cozzi, AIA John
D. Pacyna |
