PS680 – Harbor Middle School

Brooklyn, New York

The curriculum is focused on Interdisciplinary maritime project-based learning

Location
Brooklyn, New York

Client
NYC School Construction Authority

Completion Date
2026

Size
91,000 SF

Project Type
New Construction, Special-purpose Middle School, Special Education School, Swimming Pool Complex

Sustainability Certifications
NYC Green Schools Guide

Professional Credits
Associate Architect: Massa Multimedia Architecture (Graves-MMA Joint Venture)

Using the harbor as subject matter

The special-purpose Harbor Middle School offers a unique, hands-on maritime-based curriculum that focuses on resilience, community, and the waterfront of New York’s harbors. Students study marine biology, climate science, and maritime history, develop swimming skills in one of the city’s few school aquatic facilities, and even learn to build sailboats and sustainable gardens.

North elevation

Water-based themes

South elevation

The school serves 550 students in Grades 6-8 and includes a New York City District 75 Special Education component. The building is located on an L-shaped site within a flood zone in the industrial Red Hook section of Brooklyn. In addition to general classrooms, art, science, and music classrooms, and shops, the three-story building includes a library, cafeteria, full gymnasium, and a 25-yard short-course indoor swimming pool.  Waves and ammonite shells are among the water-based themes built into the exterior façade, building elements, interior walls, and flooring.   

Lobby
Cafeteria
Pool

Tom Rowe, AIA

Principal, Design Practice Leader
Send a Message

Kathy Dy, AIA

Principal, Design Practice Leader
Send a Message

Sector Contact

Get in contact with us for your next K-12 education project.

Featured Projects

At Michael Graves, we create designs that clients dream of. We care not only about what we create; we care whom we create it for.