With GEMS World Academy's K-5 facility recently topped out in Lakeshore East, the private school will soon lay brick for its second phase: a 16-story structure for grades 6-12 sited one short block north of the youngsters. bKL Architecture executed a faithful aesthetic carryover from phase one to phase two, and today we have the pleasure of introducing interior renderings for the almost-finalized design. The mix of programmatic spaces is akin to that of GEMS' early grades, just scaled for bigger bodies. There's a full mid-floor athletic center with basketball court and pool; an auditorium; large library; double-height lobby; an "upper school commons" modeled on collegiate life; and even a hotel-esque "parent lounge". Window walls cut through many of the building's corridors, exposing nose-pickers to their peers.
The price of such privilege is around $30k/year for each pupil, and the combined student body should hit around 2,000. Phase one will be ready to roll by late spring, but it'll be another couple of years before there's something for middle- and high-schoolers to occupy.
·GEMS World Academy [official]
·bKL Architecture [official]
·GEMS World Academy Coverage [Curbed Chicago]
Loading comments...