ennead architects

Founded by Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto, this 1,000-student New York City public high school celebrates the school’s specialized curriculum in instrumental music, vocal music, fine arts, drama and dance in its overall design. The state-of-the-art facility creates a unique and powerful identity in the community, forging connections to the adjacent Kaufman Astoria Studios and Museum of the Moving Image. The transparency of the principal façade reveals rehearsal and studio spaces within, enlivening the street and conveying openness and accessibility. The school’s centerpiece is a five-story skylit atrium which cuts through the building to illuminate interior spaces and highlight the oval form of the Tony Bennett Concert Hall. This central zone of the building is framed by a perimeter of classrooms. The five-story structure culminates in a rooftop landscape courtyard for gatherings and outdoor performances.