Washington Heights and Inwood Music Community Charter School is the first school in the Northeast developed out of El Sistema, a model for social action through music founded in Venezuela. At the heart of its pedagogy is the musical ensemble—the teaching tool for academic, character, and leadership development. The project involved the adaptive reuse and expansion of a three-story parking garage built in 1914. The design rethinks how a school is organized and celebrates the school’s mission to integrate music into every aspect of its curriculum. The theater is strategically located at the core of the building, visible from the street — and the street visible from the theater — serving as an open invitation for the neighborhood to participate in the music.