Plymouth Meeting Friends School

(Associate-in-Charge, with James Bradberry Architects)

We redesigned the building from the ground up to meet the client’s budget, reducing the footprint by 15% without sacrificing teaching space or aesthetics. The end result was a streamlined plan and building massing that delivered top-notch design at minimal cost. The ground floor primary classrooms open onto an outdoor learning terrace. The second-floor library contains zones for reading and group collaboration. The building material pallete, lap siding, standing seam metal roofing, and cedar, is sympathetic to the surrounding historic context. Interior finishes are sustainable and non-emitting. Large, south-facing windows provide ventilation and passive solar heating. Rain chains lead to rain gardens, diverting stormwater back into the ground.