Hampstead Hill Academy Charter School

Across the United States there is a movement by educators and parents to create alternative and innovative public schools - often known as
"Charter Schools".  In Baltimore, an organization called "Supporting Public Schools for Change",
housed at the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers, is leading efforts to provide advocacy and technical assistance to charter schools in Baltimore.  Since the summer of 2007, the Neighborhood Design Center has provided facilities planning assistance to four of these schools - KIPP Ujima Academy, the Green Charter School,
Freedom Academy, and this month's feature project: Hampstead Hill Academy, located in Southeast Baltimore.

Volunteers Craig Purcell of Matrix Settles Architecture + Interior Design and Mary Purcell were given the challenge of expanding the Pre K and Kindergarten areas of the existing school, while trying to maintain as much outdoor space on what is an already tight, urban site.  Their solution was to create a two-story addition that included a green roof that recaptures the outdoor space lost with the expansion.  In addition to accommodating the programmatic needs of the school, the architects also incorporated various "green" building features, including expansive windows for natural daylighting and to capture heat from the
winter sun, native plantings, and a water harvesting
system to collect stormwater from the existing building.

Utilizing the work of Craig and Mary, Principal Matthew Hornbeck is seeking funding and assistance from Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse for the construction phase.

Through our work with charter schools, NDC has been able to bring together architects experienced in school design to help charter school leaders identify their programmatic needs, explore design options that best meet their educational mission, and become knowledgeable about the subsequent steps for design and construction.  Thank you to the following firms for their on-going work with the other three charter schools:

Project Completion: 2007
Project Location: 500 S. Linwood Avenue  Baltimore, MD
NDC Architect Volunteers:  Mary Purcell; Craig Purcell, Matrix Settles Architecture + Interior Design
Links: Hampstead Hill Academy
KIPP Ujima Academy, GWWO Inc. / Architects
Baltimore Freedom Academy, CSD Architects
The Green School of Baltimore, Cho Benn Holback + Associates