JBFCS Child Development Center

The Jewish Board of Family & Children’s Services’ nationally recognized Child Development Center in Harlem provides special programming for children ages 2 to 6 with a range of developmental, neurological and/or emotional and behavioral challenges. They use a wide variety of therapeutic approaches, services, and programs to help children and their families. Program spaces include classrooms, rooms organized for a specific therapy (physical, music, play, speech), offices for learning specialists, and a special education teacher training room.

BKSK’s design work focused on creating learning environments that address the special needs of these children, while infusing a playful spirit throughout their 12,500 square foot facility on the ground floor of a new mixed-use building. At the outset, we met individually with administration leaders and teachers to understand the challenges and needs of their students and to get a clear picture of how they work with them. This in-depth programming study served as our roadmap for designing their new home.