In late July, it was announced the Hayground School‘s new Arts & Science Center in Bridgehampton is now passed the halfway point of construction, with a targeted completion for late November or early December, according to a press release from the school. Ground was initially broken on the project around Thanksgiving of 2024.
The newly erected center will include 2,200 square-feet of new classroom space as well as an underground library measuring 1,000 square-feet. The roof over the library has also been installed, engineered to accommodate a future glass cube at the corner of the building to bring natural light into the library below, and interior carpentry now defines the room dividers and doorways throughout the structure, the release says. For the outdoor amphitheater also included in the construction, initial excavation of the amphitheater and its drainage wells is largely complete, with finish work scheduled to begin next week.
The art studio space will be named for Jon Snow, who dedicated three decades of his life to the school and its summer program. (Photos courtesy of Hayground School)
With a strong commitment to reducing operational and construction-related emissions at its core, the integrated facility — designed by architect David Berridge — includes rooftop solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling systems and utilizes low-carbon construction materials.
Additionally, the school announced the building’s art studio space will be dedicated to Jon Snow, a founding member of the school and leader of its summer camp program. Co-founder Toni Ross has said without Snow, “there would be no Hayground,” citing his role in shaping the school’s culture and its integration of art, food and land-based learning. Snow, who served the school in several role over the course of 30 years, toured the new facility, just ahead of the special dedication held last month.
Since its opening in 1996, the Hayground model has been an individualized, mentor-based, student-led approach that integrates academics with hands-on work. With a mission to provide diverse, inclusive education, the school’s long been a melting pot of teachers, artists, scholars and scientists.
