In the fall of 2025, the Packer campus reached a transformative milestone with the grand opening of the new Garden House and the fully renovated Garden. The effort involved the renovation of an existing 8,200-square-foot landmarked brownstone, paired with a 17,250-square-foot expansion. The project is the culmination of over 20 years of visionary planning to provide a “home base” on campus for every age of student we serve. By nesting the Lower School in this innovative new space, we also unlocked vital capacity for our Upper School program in historic Founder’s Hall.
 

Where History Meets Innovation

The Garden House story is a uniquely Packer narrative, one that honors a 181-year history while leaning boldly into the future. At a festive grand opening celebration, Head of School Jen Weyburn drew a direct line from the school's founder, Harriet Packer, to the present day. Just as Harriet hand-selected one of the 19th century’s most influential architects to build Founder’s Hall in 1854, the choice to partner with WXY architecture + urban design for the Garden House renovation ensured that inspired design continues to power excellent education at Packer.
“We bring our past along, lifting up cherished historical spaces and bridging them with modern design,” noted Dr. Weyburn. This philosophy is visible in the physical connector—an all-weather bridge that joins the new expansion to the main campus, fostering the intentional cross-divisional interactions that help relationships and belonging flourish at Packer.
 

A Purpose-Built Home for the Lower School

While the architecture is striking, the Garden House was designed from the inside out with a focus on how children learn best. The building functions as a series of grade-level communities, where dedicated floors offer students a sense of belonging and "neighborhood." Within these spaces, flexible in-room areas and hallway breakout zones support differentiated instruction, allowing teachers to adapt to students’ individual needs.

The power of the environment is felt in the abundance of natural light and the warmth of the exposed wood structure, creating a calm, organic atmosphere that research suggests improves student focus and wellness. By treating the architecture as an educational tool, Packer has ensured that the building remains as dynamic and adaptable as the generations of students it will serve.
 

Leading in Sustainability

The Garden House stands as a model of environmental responsibility, serving as one of the first school buildings in New York State to feature a Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) structure. By choosing naturally renewable wood over carbon-intensive steel or concrete, the project significantly reduced its "embodied carbon"—the energy required to create the building materials themselves.

The facility also prioritizes long-term health and wellness through its all-electric mechanical systems. By anticipating a renewably sourced electrical grid and eliminating on-site combustion, the building provides a net-zero ready environment with optimized indoor air quality. Even the building's exterior reflects this commitment, featuring a brick façade composed of 100% recycled clay content that mirrors the aesthetic of the historic campus through a contemporary lens.
 

The Garden: An Urban Forest for Play and Science

The renovated Packer Garden has been reimagined as a thriving ecosystem that serves as both a playground and a living laboratory. Designed in collaboration with Starr Whitehouse, this "urban forest" features over 40 new trees and 1,000 perennials, with nearly 90% of the species being native or climate-adaptive.

Sustainability is woven into the ground itself through a sophisticated water management system. Permeable surfaces and a series of swales collect and reuse stormwater, naturally managing runoff while irrigation for the lush greenery is handled on-site. For the students, however, the technical marvels are a backdrop to the "important business of play." As one remarked upon encountering a new state-of-the-art play structure in the Garden: it’s more than just wood and rope—it is a "rocket ship" into the future.
 

National Recognition and a New Beginning

The design and academic communities have taken note of Packer’s commitment to excellence. The new Garden House was honored with a Merit Award from the AIA New York Center for Architecture and was featured in the November 2025 issue of Architectural Record, which praised the project for pointing the way toward a more sustainable, human-centered future for urban schools.

Ultimately, these accolades are a testament to what is possible when the Packer community comes together with a shared purpose. The Garden House came to life through a transformative capital campaign and the steadfast support of a community willing to invest in Packer’s next century. As Board Chair Marnie Worth noted during the dedication, the completion of the Garden House marks both an end and a beginning. It is the successful conclusion of a significant chapter of construction, but it also serves as the cornerstone for a new path forward—a first step in ensuring that Packer’s historic campus continues to evolve in service of its students for many years to come.

Video courtesy of WXY architecture + urban design