CASE STUDY
Chaminade High School
Biophilia Is at the Head of the Class!
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location
Long Island, NY
Client
Chaminade High School
Year
2018
Architectural Firm
Mancini Duffy
Designing for Inspiration and Learning!
At the impressive campus of Chaminade High School in Long Island, New York, Garden on the Wall® brought biophilia to the forefront of education with a majestic three-story preserved garden installation that inspires both students and visitors alike. Set within a glass-enclosed atrium, the installation blurs the boundary between indoors and outdoors its colorful foliage appearing as a seamless continuation of nature beyond the walls.
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A Vision Years in the Making
The design journey began in 2015, during the Core& Shell stage, when Mancini Duffy team envisioned a multi-story garden that would define the atrium space. By 2018, that vision became reality: a bold, contemporary composition featuring a flowing arrangement of moss, forest and fern species accented by orange flower foliage accents paying tribute to the school’s colors.
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Design Meets Purpose
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The lower portion of the garden serves a dual function, incorporating custom plexiglass donor signage mounted on stand-offs directly over the garden’s surface turning recognition into an integrated part of the biophilic story. The installation’s scale and height ensure visibility from nearly every angle of the building, offering a striking visual as one approaches or ascends through the space.
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A Daily Lesson in Biophilia
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Beyond its stunning form, the garden provides a quiet, restorative presence—encouraging reflection and focus while fostering a natural connection for students. This biophilic feature not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the school’s architecture but also supports mental well-being, cognitive restoration, and creative inspiration—core principles of biophilic design that resonate deeply in educational environments.
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Lasting Impact
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Garden on the Wall® is proud to have collaborated with Mancini Duffy on this landmark installation, which exemplifies how biophilic design can enrich learning spaces and shape the next generation’s relationship with nature. The Chaminade High School Garden stands as a living testament to the power of bringing the natural world into places of growth, curiosity, and discovery.