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.
