Memorial Elementary School

The new Memorial Elementary school is a pre-K to 5th grade school serving 477 students that was completed in 2012. It is the result of a 20 year relationship with the East Brunswick School District, and where the benefit of the students’ learning experience was the focus of design.

Key to the design was the concept of “transparency without sacrifice.” Safety concerns make it increasingly difficult for new public schools to be open and welcoming environments.

Using the cafetorium as a lockdown space entailed pulling the solid exterior wall away from the building’s envelope and building a second wall made of glass. The space therefore allows for visual protection from the outside, without sacrificing daylight and exterior connections to the inside. The courtyard is also covered for students to play outside despite inclement weather.