Year
2023-2024

Client
Elm City Montessori School

Elm City Montessori School is a public K-8 Montessori school that occupies a former industrial building situated on the West River in New Haven Connecticut. Having recently secured ownership of the historic mill building which they had formerly leased, they engaged YUDW to help envision the future redevelopment and expansion of their lively and unique campus.

To thoroughly understand the school’s collective ambitions, YUDW implemented a community-based design process that engaged with students, families, faculty, administration, and community partners, identifying and prioritizing critical missing program elements. Simultaneously, a detailed study of the building and site revealed opportunities for expansion and improvement.

Through an interactive process, the YUDW worked with a steering committee to develop a master plan for the school, which included new or expanded space for a teaching farm, a multi-purpose indoor athletic space, outdoor athletic fields, a maker space, and age-appropriate playscapes.