Located in two adjacent buildings—an early 1900s two-story building most recently used by Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. as a printing press and warehouse, and a newer 2010 four-story modular building—Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School selected KSS to help bring its two facilities together and expand its capacity to handle a growing study body. To achieve both goals, the early 1900s building will be renovated to house elementary and middle school grades, while a new addition and the existing modular building will handle high school grades.
For the renovation, KSS’ design creates an “interior street” to connect the two existing buildings and new addition. The interior street will be anchored by an information commons on one end and a new cafeteria capable of holding up to 400 students on the other. The addition will be connected to the existing buildings through a single-story lobby, which will front a desired courtyard for students with access from both neighboring side streets. The addition will house a new gymnasium and exercise room on the first and second floors, and 20 classrooms on the third and fourth floors.
