Chapin School | ©Ines Leong / L-INES Photo

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Chapin School

client: NK Architects

New York, NY

The assignment was not only to document the interior expansion and renovation of the school. We were hired by NK Architects to explore the context and lighting of this century-old building located on the East End of Manhattan.

The school can be seen over the East River from various points in Queens (Astoria and Roosevelt Island). The gym which is the “crown” of the building gets flooded by the first ray of light every morning all year around. It was an honor to document this project during two seasons: Winter and Summer.

Project Scope

Preplanning

Half-Day Photography (winter)

Full-Day Photography (summer)

The Chapin School Wins AIA Newark & Suburban Design Award

Progression of dawn to sunrise over looking the East River toward Upper East Side Manhattan.

Sunny day

Image Left: Sunny Summer day at Chapin School. The full exterior view of the school with green trees in the foreground. Image Right: Winter day of the park across from Chapin School. Trees were bare; it seemed cold but sunny.

Image Left: A closer view of Chapin School over the East River. A small boat is passing on the river. Image Right: A man jogging and a woman pushing a stroller on the promenade with Chapin School in the background with lush green trees.

Interior of a three-story tall school gym. The windows stretch from floor to ceiling and the entire width of the gym. The sunrise is visible, and Queens's skyline is in view.

The Interior of a school gym with windows stretches from floor to ceiling and the entire width of the gym. Two women are playing basketball.

Two women are running in the mezzanine level of an interior gym. The track runs around the entire perimeter of the gym.

School girls are playing lacrosse in a rooftop gym. Two school girls are rock climbing on the boulder wall.

Overall view of the interior stairwell connecting the two levels' classrooms. A girl walks into a classroom, and two other girls study at each level.

A corridor with school girls chatting. The massive windows bring in the late morning light into the space with a spectacular view Astoria Queens overlooking the East River.

Left Image: Biology classroom lab with two students talking and another studying over a microscope.

Interior of a traditional hall where photos of the past graduates are on display and the founder of the school.

Dawn view of Upper East Side over looking the East River. The lighthouse of Roosevelt Island is in the foreground and the Chapin School is in the background.

A night view of the East River with Roosevelt Island Lighthouse in the foreground and the Chapin School in the background. The East River is simmering with reflection from the light.

Photography by Ines Leong of L-INES Photo

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