Designing Sustainably for Design Works High School

By Molly O'Brien, Harper Brenton, Lucia Sottile, and Aliia Dogurbaeva

At the start of the year, Design Works High School in downtown Brooklyn had a partially enclosed play yard that was empty and never used. Students in the school’s Architecture class were given the challenge to conceptualize and design a multipurpose space that would serve the needs of the students and staff.

The student-designers wanted an adaptable space for learning, leisure, and hosting events. With budget constraints and environmental impact concerns, they also aimed to make this a sustainable project: all reclaimed materials and solar-powered components.

The impact of this is a model that could be recreated at other schools or community spaces, with our young people in the lead. This project is in collaboration with Koko NYC.