Artists Studio + Gallery

This project for two artists and one gallery owner is located in the nascent art district of Greenpoint, just north of Williamsburg. Fleeing high rents and condominium  conversions in Long Island City, the group bought a vacant 100-year-old brick warehouse. A new building within an existing brick warehouse is to house two artists residences, as well as a new gallery at the ground level.

The strategy is the same as that employed by a hermit crab; the new element co-opting the existing brick warehouse shell. The new addition slips inside the brick, but never quite touches the perimeter walls, allowing for slots of space at the front and an elevated walled-in yard at the rear. Channel glazing at front and rear facades blurs the distinction between inside and outside.

The hybrid nature of the program (gallery + live/work space, new versus old) is celebrated; the differences articulated with a matter of fact design approach that allows the reading of individual pieces of the ensemble, rather than a unified whole.