2016 New York State Firm of the Year WXY Architecture + Urban Design has been commissioned to masterplan and develop a 130-acre former shipyard into a modern “innovation district” featuring flexible workspaces and a modern maker hub at Kearny Point, New Jersey. Working with owner Hugo Neu, WXY’s plan calls for the adaptive reuse of several former maritime industry buildings that once served as factories for warships.
Phase one of the project transforms Building 78, a 210,000 square foot former federal shipbuilding facility, into innovative multi-tenant workspaces for next-generation manufacturing companies. WXY’s design includes façade strategies, lighting, interior finishes and layout.
Future phases will include the adaptive reuse of the 280,000 square foot Building 54, which already features large, column-free spaces, into open-plan offices for larger tenants and a wholesale marketplace, where companies can sell their wares on site.
“The adaptive reuse of Kearny Point's former maritime industry buildings into "multi-tenant artisanal manufacturing hubs" includes building designs by WXY as well as façade and lighting, interior finishes, layout consulting, and final master plans. WXY and Hugo Neu believe the transformed New Jersey site -- with its convenient location, rich industrial legacy, and a design mixing original brick with modern glass and steel -- will be highly attractive to new tenants,” explain the architects.
Special care will be taken to preserve the historic elements of the site while optimizing building efficiency. WXY’s masterplan is aimed at addressing “public interface” elements, which include building layout, pedestrian circulation, vehicular and logistic pathways, and waterfront access, as well as the facilities’ relationship to its context. “Green” building features will also be implemented to reduce the complex’s environmental impact.
News via WXY Architecture + Design.
