Elm Community Charter School is an independent K-5 public charter school for 500 students located in Elmhurst, Queens, one of New York City's most overcrowded school districts. During their start-up period, GLUCK+ evaluated temporary spaces and provided code compliance guidance, and later performed test fits on several existing buildings for a future permanent home.

Ultimately, a local developer delivered a new purpose-built building with their own A/E team, but the interiors lacked the sense of identity and creative energy the founder of the school envisioned. GLUCK+ was commissioned to strategically bring the school's graphic identity into the life of the building without impact to budget or schedule. A reimagined color palette and patterning take cues from the school's logo to infuse the spaces with the vibrant and inspiring atmosphere of Elm, a school where good learning happens through authentic inquiry, uniquely designed for the children.