The Gowanus School of Art & Design // Chloe Kisela

The Gowanus School of Art & Design (GSAD) is a specialized secondary school located within the heart of the Gowanus neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. Comprised of four floors plus an accessible rooftop and with a ground floor footprint of 11,500 ft2 and height just over 60’, GSAD caters to students who wish to further their skills in the fields of art, architecture, interior design, graphic design, etc. A frame-based steel system is utilized for the structure while a rainscreen is employed for the envelope design.

The design is comprised of two rectangular volumes, one cantilevering horizontally over the earth and the other rising vertically from it. The horizontal east wing has been extruded into and through the vertical west wing, creating an asymmetrical cross shape when viewed from Union St or Sackett St. An atrium stretching from the first to the third floor is located at the intersection of the two volumes and provides occupants in one wing with a visual connection to the other. The exterior glass of the atrium ceiling extends downwards on the north and south sides of the building via vertical reveals before merging into the floor-to-ceiling window wall that spans the entire length of the eastern wing of the first floor. Perhaps the most immediately apparent design choice is the inclusion of two sets of vertical aluminum louvres that reside in front of all of the second and third floor lecture and workshop classrooms windows. While on one hand being a visual motif that ties both east and west wings together, these louvres also work to provide essential privacy and shading to the upper floors.

The school is situated immediately adjacent to the Gowanus Canal. Views from the east wing have been crafted in such a a way as to emphasize the canal and the surrounding environment. A required 40’ pedestrian walkway is located between the east wing and the canal and features a multitude of seating arrangements and gardens as well as a safety railing in front of the canal itself. On the opposite side of the building, beyond the west wing, is a 30’ gap between GSAD and an adjacent structure that was necessary to ensure fire safety. Within this zone have been placed a minimalist bench, a bike rack, and a row of trees that will help provide further privacy and shading to the west wing. Since the site is located in the canal’s flood zone, the building has been set on a 1’ tall slab to ensure that the structure is 1’ above the area’s BFE (base flood elevation) of 10’.

The layout of the school itself is designed to further reflect and emphasize the public vs. private dichotomy that is inherent in the urban context. Gathering spaces and public amenities, such as the dining hall and event space, are located on the first floor while learning units, workshops, and private amenities have been placed on the second, third, and fourth floors. Utilities can be found on every floor within the more enclosed west wing. Overall, the level of privacy granted increases as one ascends the building, and while both wings incorporate privacy features, the east wing is more public-oriented than the west.

GSAD prides itself on being an example of environmentally friendly architecture. An array of rooftop solar panels, a geothermal heat pump canal loop, and a wide range of passive strategies all help reduce the building’s reliance on mechanical systems. In addition, the orientation of the building as well as the angle of the louvres have been designed to shade occupants from harsh southern light while allowing the introduction of softer northern light into the atrium. Lastly, the inclusion of an accessible rooftop with embedded garden plots provides students and teachers with a much needed connection to nature within the beautiful cityscape of the Gowanus neighborhood.

SOUTHWEST ELEVATION // 1/8" = 1'

NORTHEAST ELEVATION // 1/8" = 1'

SOUTHEAST ELEVATION // 1/8" = 1'

NORTHWEST ELEVATION // 1/8" = 1'

TRANSVERSE SECTION, from southwest // 1/4" = 1'

LONGITUDINAL SECTION, from northwest // 1/8" = 1'

EXTERIOR PERSPECTIVE, from southwest

The main façade as seen from Union St features elongated rectilinear forms spanning both vertically into the sky as well as horizontally over the earth. The horizontal east wing protrudes through the vertical west wing to create an asymmetrical harmony between both sides of the school. A row of trees sits between the west wing and the adjacent buildings, granting a connection to nature and a sense of privacy that is compounded by the presence of vertical louvres running continuously in front of the east wing’s operable windows.

EXTERIOR PERSPECTIVE, from northeast

A smaller, more private entrance is situated on the north side of the school directly off of Sackett St. The continuous stretch of first floor windows and shaded upper lecture classrooms overlook the 40’ pedestrian / outdoor seating area in front of the canal. The east wing is considerably more publicoriented than the west wing; the east façade features more apertures and seating space than the west, which faces other buildings directly adjacent on the block and is thus more oriented to student privacy.

EXTERIOR PERSPECTIVE, from southwest

The accessible roof above the school’s east wing is meant to be a relaxing, refreshing place where students can go in warmer weather to study and socialize. Comfortable couches are arranged in groups around shared tables to encourage camaraderie and face-to-face communication. These seating clusters are broken up by gardens, and the entire roof is surrounded by a 42” tall safety privacy railing. Also located on the roof, though it is not visible from this perspective, is a DOAS unit surrounded by thin vertical walls on the side of which students can apply their creativity. The Gowanus Canal is easily visible from the rooftop, running parallel to the building and leading the eye to the horizon line of the Brooklyn cityscape. A nearby contemporary apartment and restaurant complex reaches high into the sky and contributes to the intriguing urban scenery.

EXTERIOR PERSPECTIVE, from southeast

The view as we walk past the east wing of the school is one of tranquility and peace. Students, teachers, and passerby can sit and rest on one of the several benches located admist rectangular gardens or admire the Gowanus Canal from behind a safety railing. Those seated in the indoor dining space can look out onto this 40’ pedestrian walkway through a long stretch of glass windows while the students located in the second and third floor lecture classrooms are afforded a greater sense of privacy via an aluminum louvre system. The indoor / outdoor relationship has been prioritized in the design, allowing all the enjoy the beautiful environment of the Gowanus district.

INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE, from second floor of atrium circulation hallway

Walking within the 7’ wide circulation hallway immediately adjacent to the classrooms provides a wide range of views of the building’s main atrium. The atrium stair spans a total of 56’ horizontally and rises 30’ vertically, thus dominating the experience of the space in and around the atrium. A monolithic handrail rises with the stair before breaking away and continuing along the edge of the circulation space. Students and teachers have easy access to either side of the atrium via hallways parallel to the transverse axis that connect the two wings; in addition, a further visual connection is established between wings via the incorporation of glass that lines the classroom walls that face out towards the atrium.

INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE, in west wing studio classroom

Studio classrooms and workshops, which are located on the second, third, and fourth floors of the west wing, give students a bit more space to work with their hands and develop projects. These learning units are more laterally-inclined than the lecture classrooms of the east wing to allow for the incorporation of long tables that provide space for multiple students to sit together. A lengthy countertop, eqipped with a sink and space for cabinetry, divides the main working space from the exterior operable windows, which provide students a beautiful view of the trees that sit in the 30’ zone between GSAD and adjacent buildings. A void has been carved out of the countertop on the side facing the window for the placement of additional seating.

INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE, in dining space

Located close to the main entrance on the first floor, the dining space features a wide array of seating options surrounding a catering bar. Features include floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the outdoor seating space and Gowanus Canal, open shelving, a drop down ceiling with pendant lighting over the bar, and space for abstract paintings or other artwork. Nearby lounge seating (not seen from this perspective) also gives students the opportunity to have a more informal social / dining experience while also helping to smooth the transition between programs in the open floor plan.

INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE, from first floor of atrium

Upon entering the school from the Union St main entrance and walking past the open lounge space to the right and elevators to the left, we will see the ceiling open up to reveal a tall atrium topped off with a glass ceiling. A grand staircase reaches upwards, connecting the first, second, and third floors. A 7’ walkway surrounds the atrium on all sides on the second and third floors, providing occupants with views above and below. The incorporation of glass within the atrium ceiling and along the back entrance wall (facing Sackett St) allow for the introduction of an abundance of northern sunlight while also providing a much needed connection to the outdoor environment. In addition, the linear, perpendicular pattern created by structural girders and mullions of the atrium ceiling provide a unique view within which the sky beyond is framed.