Andrew Berman adds 610 m² of structure supplementing the steel and brick structure of the existing building. The new facade of SculptureCenter is formed by steel panels, more aptly establishing the building’s presence on Purves Street, addressing the SculptureCenter’s long time need for a better and more public entrance to the galleries.
Description of the project by Andrew Berman
On October 5, 2014, the SculptureCenter opened its newly expanded and renovated art space in Long Island City. The expansion, significantly funded through public and private contribution, includes a 2,000 square foot addition to the museums’s renovated original structure.
The design of the new building honors and compliments the robust steel and brick structure of the existing building, a former trolley repair shop. Built in 1908, this building was purchased by SculptureCenter in 2001 and renovated by Maya Lin with the understanding that a later expansion would be necessary to fully meet the institution’s needs.
A series of sixteen-foot high Cor-Ten steel panels form the building’s new facade, more aptly establishing the building’s presence on Purves Street, 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.
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.
The project budget was $4.5 million. Generous funding was provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Queens Borough President’s office. The New York State Council on the Arts, and the SculptureCenter’s Board of Trustees also contributed generously to this project. The project was awarded and administered through the NYC Department of Design and Construction Design Excellence Program.
CREDITS. DATA SHEET.-
Architect.- Andrew Berman
Location.- Long Island City, NY
Completed.- 2014
Area.- 11,800 sf
