SculptureCenter Renovation and Expansion

1 June 2015

SculptureCenter Renovation and Expansion

Expansion and Renovation

Expansion and Renovation

Expansion and Renovation

Entry and Reception

Entry and Reception

Entry and Reception

Entry between facades

Entry between facades

Entry between facades

New and Old

New and Old

New and Old

Vaulted Gallery

Vaulted Gallery

Vaulted Gallery

Facade Detail

Facade Detail

Facade Detail

View to Sculpture Court

View to Sculpture Court

View to Sculpture Court

Entry View

Entry View

Entry View

Commissioned by New York City Department of Design and Construction, Andrew Berman Architects were tasked with the renovation and expansion of a contemporary art space in Long Island City, New York. The extension, significantly funded through public and private contribution, includes a 2,000 square foot addition to the museum’s original refurbished structure.’

How were you commissioned?

We were commissioned by the New York City Department of Design and Construction.

Expansion and Renovation

What was the brief from the client and how much were they involved?

The initial project brief asked for a fire stair - a second means of egress for the basement level "catacombs" of the original 1907 structure. The building was built originally for the repair of trolley engines. In 2001 Maya Lin designed a renovation of the ground floor space of the original building, but funds did not permit the upgrade of the basement, or inclusion of much of what was needed by the SculptureCenter. After assessing the request for a fire stair, we initiated a discussion with the SculptureCenter to better understand their larger goals and ambitions. The intent was to have this stair sync into future planning requirements. As the discussion evolved, it was determined that the SculptureCenter needed a proper entry and reception space, and a better way to enter and move through their gallery space. The firestair, and an elevator, were just components of their larger needs.

Entry Gallery and Reception

How did the brief affect the materials and design choices?

As we discussed, and tested design ideas, we were able to develop an efficient strategy for providing a new addition that would both add program space and transform the use of the existing building without dramatically changing the building itself. Introduction of natural light and use of robust materials that speak to the existing building and industrial neighborhood were used to extend the distinct atmosphere of SculptureCenter.

Corten Facade Detail

How did your previous experience help you with this project?

The work of the studio capitalizes on the qualities of place and seeks opportunities in the desires and programmatic requirements of each of our clients. Informed by working within the constraints of the dense urban fabric of New York City, we utilize an economy of means to create dignified and spatially rich architecture. Natural light, carefully chosen views, and appropriate materials are the mediums through which we engage our work with its context and place. We have designed a range of project types for an equally wide range of clients; public, institutional, and private. Our interests and experiences allow us to approach each project on its own unique terms through an intense engagement with user and site, while drawing on our varied experiences in design and construction.

Entry between two facades

Can you explain the layout of the project

We designed a new entry building for ticketing and orientation, a bookshop, elevator and stairs, and interior and exterior exhibit spaces. This structure serves as the nexus between arrival and the galleries. New space for exhibiting work was formed by bounding exterior space between the new and existing buildings. The galleries in the vault spaces under the main hall were renovated to become accessible exhibition spaces.

New and Old

What problems or challenges did you face?

Our design thinking came out of a close reading of the site and existing building. A series of sixteen-foot high Cor-Ten steel panels form the façade of the new building, asserting the building's presence on Purves Street, and addressing the SculptureCenter's long time need for a better and more public entrance to the galleries. Behind this facade, a new entry court and entryway join the new building and the existing structure. The new building contains an entry lobby, a ticketing area, a bookshop, a coatroom, restroom facilities, and various gallery spaces. In addition to increasing the SculptureCenter's programming space by twenty-five percent, the new structure also provides ADA access via a new elevator and new egress stairs. These modifications enable the cellar-level vault spaces to be used as gallery space. A 1,500 square foot courtyard also provides SculptureCenter an outdoor exhibition and event space.

Vaulted Gallery

What do you feel were the most unusual design elements of the project?

The most unusual design elements of the project would be the choice of materials. The Cor-Ten steel panels that form the facade of the new building, the contrast of the white walls and black steel of the new building against the rough and industrial surfaces of the existing space

View to sculpture court

How do you think this project is pushing design forward? What makes it special?

The new entry sequence allows for arrival, orientation, and a slow, curated revealing of the art, culminating in the spaces of the original building. In this manner, the full potential of the adaptive re-use of an old industrial structure is allowed by the nuanced and calibrated interventions and support spaces of the new building.

Entry View

Architect

http://andrewbermanarchitect.com/

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