SBLM Architects' PS 188K school project wins award

SBLM Architects' public school project PS 188K Gymnasium Building has been awarded a design excellence award from the Queens and Bronx Building Association. Edward Bredow, associate principal, and Carrie Snyder, marketing director of SBLM, attended the awards gala to accept the award. Working with the New York City School Construction Authority (NYCSCA), SBLM designed a 7,000 s/f stand-alone ground-up gymnasium building which features a regulation basketball court with bleachers and locker facilities for 378 students which will also allow for community use. The existing PS 188K school located in Coney Island, was built and operating without accommodating a formal gymnasium for student sports and recreational activities. SBLM was called upon to investigate the feasibility of adding a new gymnasium and determined that it could be accommodated by utilizing a portion of the playground and relocating the Early Childhood Play Area. In order to provide for adequate student circulation and access to the new gymnasium, SBLM sited the new building entrance to allow for a protected walkway from the existing school building entrance within the secured school property. Design highlights include exposed architectural steel framing on the facades with glass block and stack bond brick in-fill along with insulated metal panels. The glass block allows for natural day lighting within the gymnasium. Interior features include natural hardwood flooring and exposed structure. All materials used are energy efficient and environmentally sensitive complying with the NYC Green Schools Guide for new construction. SBLM is a 100-person, client responsive, innovative, architectural firm with expertise in a wide-range of building types, including: Education, Mixed-use & Multi-family Residential, Retail, Office Interiors, Healthcare and Wellness and Civic. The firm designed the first ever LEED-NC certified building under USGBC's Volume Portfolio program. Headquartered in New York City, SBLM has additional offices in Long Island, New York, Miami, Florida, Dallas, Texas and Dublin, Ireland. For more information, please visit www.sblm.com.com