New York-based Kliment Halsband Architects has been commissioned to transform a townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side into a new facility for an all-girls elementary and secondary school, The Spence School. Known for it strength in the adaptive reuse of historic buildings, Kilment Halsband will design the new home for the Spence School in a circa 1917 building known as the Wannamaker Munn House, which is adjacent to the current school.

Led by founding partner Frances Halsband, FAIA, and partner Michael A. Nieminen, AIA, the design team will adapt the six-story, 12,000-sq.-ft. space into a modern facility by preserving its historic integrity—maintaining details such as period fireplaces, original moldings, limestone arches, and a winding staircase—while marrying it with the adjacent 1929 building that currently houses the Spence School. As part of the master plan, Kilmet Halsband will be challenged to establish a connection between the two structures and create a unified, sustainable, energy efficient campus.

“We are looking forward to discovering all of the possibilities for transforming this townhouse into an optimal teaching and learning environment for Spence faculty and students,” explains Halsband. “Our approach to the project will begin with three broad goals: understanding the school’s space needs in order to optimize all spaces across the two buildings; creating a unified sustainable and energy-efficient campus that also can serve as a classroom learning tool; and carefully examining the historic aspects of the townhouse in order to preserve its character, incorporate it into the existing campus, and establish a distinct identity for those students who will occupy it.”

Bodie Brizendine, head of the Spence School, adds, “With this new building, we have the opportunity to address a number of important programmatic goals articulated in our long-range-plan. I am delighted that our trustees, faculty, and students were actively involved in the selection of our partner, and have no doubt that Kliment Halsband Architects will help us adapt this historically significant building to realize our programmatic vision.”