The design intent for this project was to really take advantage of the beautiful setting of the Hackley campus. We wanted to take advantage of as many window openings and connections to the surrounding landscape as possible and bring natural light in every area we could. The core goal of the project is to make you feel a connection to outside anywhere you are in the building... We want to have View Smart Windows in all of our projects but it is even more critical in this health and wellness center where that is a core component of the function of the building. 
- Peter Reiss

Associate Principal, Achitectural Resources Cambridge

Hackley School

Independent K-12 School builds award-winning athletics and community center.


  • View Smart Windows provide unobstructed views of the wooded landscape, while addressing heat and glare
  • Daylight supports health and learning outcomes
  • Optimized interior design
  • Recognized as the Best K-12 Education project in New York by the Engineering News-Record (ENR) New York
  • Location
    Tarrytown, NY
  • General Contractor
    Consigli
  • Architect
    Architectural Resources Cambridge
  • Project Type
    New Construction
  • Project Specifications
    100,000 sq. ft.

Hackley School is an independent private college preparatory school that was established in 1899 and is now home to more than 800 K-12 students. As a part of the school’s vision to promote health and wellness, Hackley recently developed the Walter C. Johnson Center, a brand new 115,000+ square foot multi-purpose facility with views to the wooded landscape. The center hosts Hackley’s exceptional physical education and athletics program, and features sunlit common areas, a healthy cafe, an 8-lane swimming pool and 3 classrooms. Its design reflects the school’s deep commitment to building and sustaining strong community among students, faculty, and staff.

A major design challenge for the Johnson Center was the lighting condition in the space. Due to its location next to the pool and without any adjacent buildings, the building would get reflected glare and excessive heat that would make the space near the windows almost unbearable. By intelligently managing daylight in the new facility, View Dynamic Glass protects students and staff from unwanted heat and glare. This creates more usable space - for example, the fitness equipment is lined up directly against the windows.

Lighting in general has been a huge boon for this building. When we were planning for the building, I’d look at elevations and see windows but I had no appreciation for the amount of natural light that would be in this building. It (View Dynamic Glass) makes the building an open, wonderful spot.
- Peter McAndrew

Director of Finance and Campus Planning, Hackley School

The glass also ensures ample natural light and access to views, which has been shown to improve student performance. Students in classrooms with high levels of daylight exhibited 20% to 26% faster learning rates than those with low levels of daylight1. In addition, View also helped the center win the Best K-12 Education Project in New York by the Engineering News-Record (ENR) New York.

Founded in 1969, Architectural Resources Cambridge is an award-winning architectural, planning and interior design firm dedicated to promoting sustainable and healthful environments as well as improving the building’s overall performance. As one of the largest general contractors in the Northeast, Consigli was first established in 1905 and now has more than eight regional offices.