Jesse Kaplan School

Additional Info

Award Winner : ModSpace

Architectural Excellence : Rockland BOCES needed four new classrooms for special needs students. Each classroom required an ADA-approved bathroom. ModSpace designed each classroom using a floorless modular approach. This approach allowed seamless access from the existing school hallway, and the egress points were at grade from each class room to accommodate the many students in wheelchairs.
The floorless method is new to the construction industry. The building is constructed in parts, shipped to the site and bolted together Lego-like on site. The completed building is lifted in whole onto a thick concrete slab, which serves as the floor. This provides superior load-bearing capacities, and the cement slab is an ideal base for custom flooring finishes. The classrooms have natural light windows on two walls. After the units were welded to the foundation, ModSpace added the flooring, drop ceilings, windows and the interior finish work.

Cost Energy Effectiveness : ModSpace completed the project in two-thirds the time and two-thirds the price of a comparable, traditionally-built construction process. The building was delivered on time, even though the site was struck by an earthquake and two hurricanes during installation. By designing a floorless modular project, ModSpace further reduced costs by minimizing excavation, grading and fill disposal and eliminating decks, steps and ramps.

The two-window walls allow more natural light into each classroom. Energy is conserved by reducing the time florescent lights are used.

Design Firm Name : MSA Michael Shilale Architects, LLP

Occupied Date : 9/21/2011

Production Start Date : 3/1/2011

Project Location City : West Nyack

Project Location State Name : NY

Technical Innovation : The construction site had to maintain safety and fire egress points throughout the installation. Because many of the students are in wheelchairs, the classrooms and additional entry/exit points had to be on one elevation. ModSpace installed a monolithic slab on grade with five floorless modular units and connected them with a site-built connecting corridor. This method left no crawl space for condensation/mold to grow and eliminated the need for exterior steps and ramps.

This design provided steel bar joists and columns within the building, so a standard chassis framework was not needed.

Total Square Feet : 4540

Category : Permanent: Education: under 5,000 sq. ft.