Education is a transitory period in one’s lifetime, where a K-8 school occupies nine years of one’s life. During this time, the student becomes a transient being in a school, only occupying the space from 6 to 7 hours of the day. With the occupants always in flux, what if the school embraces this transient nature of formal education – by becoming a liminal void that blurs the thresholds of time and space?
The delineation between liminal spaces like hallways and the “destination” of the classrooms becomes permeable through arrayed cord walls that create an interactive surface. The temporal threshold marking the end of the school day is blurred by allowing various spaces and amenities to be accessible outside of school hours, allowing a place for students and community members to occupy into the late afternoon. The school will offer a home to the various cultural organizations that have supported the Lower East Side through its transformations throughout history. Despite the transitory nature of people, the school will be a permanent anchor for the community to shape and form to their needs.
