education

Heavy use and challenging turf-watering demands plagued the school's green space. Two existing playgrounds also needed new play surfacing.  H2M reduced the total lawn area by organizing the play spaces around a new 8-foot wide paved running course that circulates the site.  The route features a 50-yard dash running surface and a new gathering space marked with the school’s insignia scored in concrete.  The existing playgrounds were re-surfaced and outfit with new benches and boundary fencing to define each play space. A Sensory Garden featuring non-toxic, child friendly species encourages children interaction by smell and touch.  Low maintenance, drought tolerant, naturalized border plantings suggest the local beach ecology and further reduce overuse of lawn areas.

The Santorini Resort is a 50 unit motel located on the Long Island Sound.  It consists of 3 separate one and two story buildings created around a restaurant building within a courtyard.  Converting the motel to an educational center for union members of a local union organization required extensive upgrade and renovation to the existing buildings to make them code compliant.  A new 18,000 sq. ft. meeting house was designed to accommodate the members of a 100 person seminar room and a 50 person lecture hall.  A new 5,000 sq. ft. data center will be an emergency back up facility to the main system in the union's headquarters.

SUNY Stony Brook obtained this site from the Town of Riverhead as part of the former US Navy Test Center in Calverton.  The project was conceived as a incubator building for start up companies in the Aquaculture and Environmental industries.  A variety of modular research labs were included to allow for a wide variety of research in both fields.  The labs range in size from 500 square feet to 1,000 square feet.  The aquaculture labs have a recirculating fresh water and salt water supply system to allow researchers to duplicate the salinity levels of water found in the seas around the world.

The proposed 6,000 square foot facility is an integral part of wildlife / marine research and observation services provided to over 11,000 students each year from various school districts across Long Island; it contains three large classrooms (labs) with operable partitions to provide maximum flexibility, ADA complaint toiles, storage spaces, offices and conference rooms. H2M’s approach was to create a facility that would not only satisfy the complex programmatic needs but also could be used as a tool enhancing the students educational experience. The building’s impact on the delicate natural ecosystem was a priority and incorporated many “green” technologies to help reduce its carbon footprint and impact on the use of fossil fuels. As a result, many of the building system components we left exposed and labeled to provide insight into how the building works, such as piping from the high efficiency heat pumps, structural steel framing, low voltage wiring, building management system control panels and the use of air socks for the ventilation system. Most of the buildings materials and finishes are those that contain a high recycled content, low VOC’s and are locally resourced. The orientation of the building and use of clearstory operable windows not only allows for natural sunlight and cross ventilation but helps to reduce the energy needs to light, heat and cool the spaces. Sun shades are incorporated along the southward facing windows to deflect excessive heat gain, LED lighting with daylight harvesting sensors are being used to take advantage of natural light and the thick masonry walls act as a thermal mass to retain heat from the daytime sun to keep the building warm after hours. A rooftop photovoltaic array is proposed to capture and store solar energy with a display kiosk that students can use to monitor the amount of energy being saved and collected. Other design features such as radiant heated floor slabs, low consumption plumbing fixtures and a rain water harvesting collection system used to collect storm water to irrigate the plants around the building as well as those being grown it the labs. All the pedestrian walks and bird watching plaza areas utilize porous paving systems to disperse storm water and slow soil and sediment erosion around the building. Ultimately the building will be used to help promote wildlife and energy conservation to young minds.

The Shrub Oak International School is a unique school that incorporates the full curriculum of a day school for children and young adults that have autism as well as a boarding component that houses these students full time incorporating special care and life skill programs. H2M was commissioned to perform the interior design, architecture, and engineering for the building which incorporates an adaptive reuse of the 400,000 square foot seminary building that sits on the 127 acre site. The interior design of the building included careful selections of colors, textures, and lighting that would be sensitive to the needs of the children, as well as attractive and playful enough to motivate them to be involved academically and feel as though the environment is comfortable enough to feel like home. This was a difficult task to accomplish for such a large building that already had an institutional feel. To replace the old brick exterior, H2M designed a glass curtain wall system with a new Porte Cochere which helps bring down the large scale of the building and brings a more welcoming entrance. The interior front lobby, which is the first area visitors see, was designed so the view of the impressive grounds was more accessible through the large windows and natural elements used as finishes. The selected finishes, such as wood and fish tanks; assist with the welcoming feel of the area. The rest of the building was also carefully planned and coordinated with the school’s administrators to ensure all current and future needs are met.

The South Huntington Union Free School District maintains a fleet of 88 buses that had outgrown their existing transportation facility. This new, two-story masonry transportation center replaced an obsolete garage and now contains an eight bay, state-of-the-art maintenance garage with capacity to service the entire fleet. Featuring a water reclamation bus wash, the facility promotes environmental sustainability with occupancy sensors and use of recycled building products. The garage is equipped with portable and stationary vehicle lifts, new and re-used service equipment. A separate parts storage area, mechanics’ restroom/locker room, and vehicle diagnostic areas were designed to improve the efficiency and layout of the new garage. The second story of the building houses the transportation department’s administrative functions; including offices, restrooms, a cafeteria, training rooms, and a dispatcher’s office with full visual control over the parking field and fuel dispensing station.

H2M was commissioned by the Sayville Library to provide professional architecture and engineering services for the development of a new 42,000 square foot library. For this project, H2M partnered with local LPA Architects to develop the design and gain the approval of the community through a successful bond referendum. Further, the Sayville Library Board recognized this project as an opportunity to demonstrate environmental responsibility to the community and to set an example for the children of Sayville and West Sayville by implementing many sustainable design features. Some of the systems and sustainable features implemented include: a geothermal heating/cooling system; photovoltaic electric system; reduced water usage; indoor air quality (VOC free paints, Green Label carpets, formaldehyde-free wood, Green building insulation, CO2 monitoring systems); adequate building ventilation; developed daylight and views; and the use of regional/local materials.

The Mineola UFSD approached H2M with the idea of creating a new, state-of-the-art library addition suited to Pre-K through second grade students attending the Hampton Street Elementary School. The new building addition is a modern approach to library science, with an integrated library/media center. It features a Wi-Fi network allowing students to work from laptops or iPads at any workstation or table. Specifically designed for small children, the space incorporates cheerful colors, small furniture, and expansive windows to allow natural light to flood the space. Many of the windows are very low, allowing children to have views of the exterior when the sit. There is a storytelling area with soft seating, as well as an alphabet sculpture hanging to remind children that “Reading is fun.” The library accommodates 10,000 volumes, can provide seating for two classes at the same time. The design incorporates many green features, including: energy-efficient building envelope, daylight harvesting, and environmentally-friendly finishes such as linoleum flooring and carpet woven from recycled material.

Having recently refurbished the perimeter running tracks at its East and West High Schools, the Smithtown Central School District was looking to replace its existing natural grass athletic fields without causing any damage to the new tracks. To meet this need, H2M designed a synthetic athletic field consisting of a polyethylene “grass” fiber system with a sand and rubber particle base. As an added bonus, the graphics, numbering, and striping for multiple sports were stitched into the field’s surface, eliminating the need to repaint game lines between seasons. During construction at the East High School field, some unsuitable, poor-quality soil was uncovered and removed to ensure the field’s long-term performance. Construction proceeded smoothly, with extra attention paid to the protection of the running tracks. The new fields will provide a durable, low-maintenance alternative to traditional turf grass for years to come

The Massapequa School District consulted H2M to design and construct a September 11th memorial in front of Massapequa High School. Through the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s World Trade Center (WTC) Artifacts Program, the school district obtained an artifact salvaged from the WTC site, to be incorporated into the center of the memorial. The finished memorial is located in the front of the high school building and provides an accessible space for quiet reflection by students, staff, and the general public. A piece of WTC steel is featured prominently in the design, surrounded by masonry paths and seasonal plantings. The project was completed at no cost to the school district.

Massapequa UFSD approached H2M with the idea of creating a bright, cheery space that would entice students to stay on campus for lunch, increasing their safety and ensuring a well-balanced, healthy lunch alternative to fast food. The design of the new cyber café accommodates a more modern approach to lunchtime activities. It features multiple fixed PC workstations, gaming tables, flat panel monitors, Wi-Fi access and soft, comfortable seating areas for sharing meals and socializing. The commercial kitchen and servery were also renovated to include more advanced and efficient tools for cooking. The new equipment allows the preparation of a completely new, health-conscious menu for students and staff. The improved circulation allows students more time to enjoy their lunch, and the staff has a renewed pride in their presentation of the food. All of these elements combined create a state-of-the-art facility that encompasses visual stimulation, healthy food choices, ease of maintenance and an overall enjoyable atmosphere for both students and staff.