![New York Greenhouse / Part Office + Cactus Store - Image 1 of 21](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5d11/d15b/284d/d19e/bb00/04ed/newsletter/CactusStoreNY_6_AnnaBeeke.jpg?1561448773)
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Architects: Cactus Store, Part Office
- Area: 535 ft²
- Year: 2017
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Photographs:Anna Beeke
![New York Greenhouse / Part Office + Cactus Store - Exterior Photography, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5d11/d27c/284d/d19e/bb00/04f3/newsletter/feature_-_CactusStoreNY_4_AnnaBeeke.jpg?1561449062)
Text description provided by the architects. The New York Greenhouse is an annex of the Cactus Store in Los Angeles, is a 400 sq/ft storefront and education center that focuses on rare and bizarre desert plants. An opportunity arose to temporarily expand the store's operations to a vacant lot in Manhattan's Lower East Side, across from Seward Park on the Chinatown border.
![New York Greenhouse / Part Office + Cactus Store - Image 4 of 21](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5d11/d18c/284d/d12f/3b00/0090/medium_jpg/CactusStoreNY_8_AnnaBeeke.jpg?1561448827)
Two prefabricated aluminum structures were designed as temples to the plants, which are globally sourced and range in age from seedlings to specimens several hundreds of years old. Situated in the rear of the lot, they maximize sun exposure while retaining a sizable front yard that acts as a semi-public park hosting screenings, lectures, workshops, dinners, or simply an area to relax.
![New York Greenhouse / Part Office + Cactus Store - Interior Photography, Garden](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5d11/d1a3/284d/d19e/bb00/04ee/newsletter/CactusStoreNY_9_AnnaBeeke.jpg?1561448847)
![New York Greenhouse / Part Office + Cactus Store - Image 20 of 21](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5d11/cc99/284d/d19e/bb00/04e4/newsletter/2_Elevation.jpg?1561447570)
![New York Greenhouse / Part Office + Cactus Store - Interior Photography](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5d11/d174/284d/d12f/3b00/008f/newsletter/CactusStoreNY_7_AnnaBeeke.jpg?1561448800)
The structures are monolithically wrapped in a fabric-reinforced poly-film to obscure their full scale and mask the objects within; entering is a dramatic sensory shift to the arid climate and topography of the plants. The footprint is organized around a simple grid, and several columns were removed while others enlarged to optimize interior circulation and display.
![New York Greenhouse / Part Office + Cactus Store - Interior Photography, Table](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5d11/d201/284d/d12f/3b00/0092/medium_jpg/CactusStoreNY_13_AnnaBeeke.jpg?1561448944)
Additional product is hung on three aluminum mesh panels, which also assist in shear stabilization for the structure. Modular furniture was designed for stacking and repeated rearrangement as stock shifts and serve as exterior benches when not in use for display.
![New York Greenhouse / Part Office + Cactus Store - Image 9 of 21](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5d11/d1bf/284d/d19e/bb00/04ef/newsletter/CactusStoreNY_10_AnnaBeeke.jpg?1561448874)
During the second year of operation in 2018, the Cactus Store designed and planted a cold-hearty winter garden of mature bamboos, palms, and cycads to offer a lush escape from the city. The space re-opened again in 2019, and once the store’s tenure is completed in New York, the structure will be broken down and shipped to another un-decided location.
![New York Greenhouse / Part Office + Cactus Store - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5d11/d13d/284d/d12f/3b00/008e/newsletter/CactusStoreNY_5_AnnaBeeke.jpg?1561448741)