Spacesmith expands STEAM Center; “Built with Students, for Students”

Brooklyn, NY The architecture, planning, and interior design firm Spacesmith has completed another project at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, an expansion of the Brooklyn STEAM Center. An inspiring part of the story is how Spacesmith made the process a hands-on learning experience for the high-school-age students — as they say, “Built with Students, for Students.”

Almost doubling its footprint on the full third floor of Building 77, Spacesmith has created 27,000 s/f of bright and comfortable classrooms, shops, lounge areas, and administrative zones customized for academic success in three STEAM pathways: design and engineering, construction technology, and full-stack software application development.

The STEAM Center empowers students by treating them as young professionals. With that in mind, Spacesmith engaged them in the expansion project in several highly interactive ways:

Student surveys and observation day. Students provided actionable insights on daily operations and areas for improvement over their original facilities, 

Design charrettes. Led by architect William Wong, AIA, LEED AP, Spacesmith facilitated sessions with students from each STEAM pathway to envision how their learning environments should look and feel.

Construction walk-throughs. Spacesmith worked with the Brooklyn STEAM Center, a New York City Public School, to craft educational site tours for students during the build-out, transforming the expansion itself into a teaching tool.

Through a collaborative design process, the main entry, defined by the center’s logo and tool-inspired abstract forms, acts as a welcoming threshold that guides students into the school’s diverse interior spaces. Building on the insights from the student observation day, Spacesmith introduced design elements alluding to the history and context of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and additional features, including a compact lounge, semi-private focus nooks, and recessed niches at classroom entryways that both showcase student work and provide much-needed storage. Glazed classroom entrances enhance visibility and feature translucent colored film representing each STEAM pathway, easing wayfinding while allowing daylight to filter deep into the school’s interior. With classrooms positioned along the perimeter, natural light and views animate the heart of the school.

Contrasting Building 77’s industrial palette, Spacesmith layered in warmth and vibrancy through acoustic panels, lounge furniture, and student-driven features. 

These include custom wallcoverings celebrating the Navy Yard’s history and a pegboard above the pantry cabinets mapping Brooklyn and its partner schools. To address noise during class transitions — a key concern raised by educators and students alike — acoustic treatments and soft seating are carefully integrated. Flexible furniture supports adaptable layouts while respecting the rhythm of exposed structural columns. All materials have been specified for durability, health, and minimal environmental impact.

By incorporating organic, natural elements, Spacesmith creates a variety of neuro-inclusive settings that emphasize modularity and flexibility, empowering students to tailor their environment to their individual learning styles. In these ways and more, the expanded Brooklyn STEAM Center reflects student vision and ambition while serving as an inspiring launchpad for their education pathways.