St. Benedict's Preparatory School

St. Benedict's Preparatory School

This article features a description of the St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark accompanied by axonometric views, elevations, and model photographs.

1986

Architecture New Jersey

Arner, Gregory, R. "St. Benedict's Preparatory School", Architecture New Jersey 22.3. (1986): 8-9.

Saint Benedict's Prep School has been established in 1868 by the Benedictine monks of Newark Abbey, when they came to serve the German community of St. Mary's Parish. It has been part of Newark Archdiocese for over 130 years. The school is composed of the 60,000 sq. ft. old building and new addition, which is located on three acres across the Martin Luther King Boulevard and is connected to the older building with the bridge. The main entrance ties the new building with existing conditions and takes its visitors through the older building, leading to the new. The site is large enough to serve the school's new identity, established as "Athletic/ Academic Facility". The program of the new building is composed into three main categories, addressing sports spaces for athletic needs, classroom space for academic needs and television studio as social space for taking a break. The first two floors, which are mainly composed of various sports rooms and 25- yard pool, are placed on the basement and first floor. Those floors are placed below grade and significantly reduce the mass of the building, and do not visually dominate the older building. That effect of harmonizing old with the new is also achieved by implementing some pitched roofs and decorative dormers. The stair tower is also an important element which serves not only as the main circulation point, but as well becomes a focal point, conveniently providing views of the old building located right across through its vast glass openings.

Today the school is guided by the VI Century rule of Saint Benedict. However, the goal of the preparatory school has changed. Now it is addressing the needs of the community it serves contrary to its long-term image of a fortress on a hill (before Newark has an established skyline) that filtered all non-white male students from being able to attend this school. Today, the student body is a composition of various races and both genders, striving in yearly achievement of excellence in both athletics and academics, still maintaining high standards in graduation rate.