Plans for Adjaye Associates’ new home for the Studio Museum in Harlem are moving forward, as permits for the project have been filed with the city.
Replacing the museum’s current home, an existing century-old building repurposed in the 1980s by architect J. Max Bond Jr, the new building at 144 West 125th Street will rise 122 feet to become a new stand-out on the historic 125th Street Corridor.
The permit specifies an impressive 83,820 square feet of gallery, community and administrative spaces, including lecture halls, a cafe, a museum store and more than double their current space for their artist residency program. A large auditorium will burrow down from ground level, with galleries, storage spaces and offices on floors 2 through 6. The building will be capped by a rooftop terrace offering views of Upper Manhattan.
Designed in collaboration with Cooper Robertson, the architectural language has been influenced by the neighborhood’s historic brownstones and the datum lines of surrounding buildings. The museum is aiming for LEED Silver certification.
“Above all, we have sought to create spaces that celebrate the rich heritage of the institution, its relationship with artists and its role as a pillar of Harlem’s cultural life,” said David Adjaye in an earlier press release. “Inspired by the architectural character of the neighborhood and featuring various scales of gallery space that speak to the diverse needs of contemporary artists, the design seeks to ensure that artistic dialogue remains at the heart of the Museum.”
The $175 million project is being funded through a public-private partnership with the city of New York. Construction is scheduled to begin in fall of this year, with completion slated for 2021.
News via New York YIMBY.
