In this adaptive reuse construction for an office and manufacturing facility, the team maximized use of existing materials and let details of the raw foundation of the building’s structure become architectural features, particularly where the old met new. 

Among the four adjacent, industrial buildings in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, there were several existing skylights and large sky monitors that the client and design team wanted to feel like large lanterns at night for the neighborhood. The lighting scheme was minimal in quantity of fixtures, fixture types used to support the work that the team does while making the buildings a positive presence for the community.

In the triple-height executive office there was only one light source– a suspended 16’ dia. ring. The large centerpiece has direct and indirect lighting to not only bounce additional light back down to the ground, but also to light the ceiling, accentuating the intentionally voluminous space, and creating the largest neighborhood lantern for the community. 

The conference room also uses only one source of light, an indirect light cove, uplighting the arched and angled ceiling plane, meeting the programmatic needs with minimal additions to the space as designed.

Location: Brooklyn, NY
Lighting: Jenny Werbell Lighting Design
Designer: Catherine Murphy Studio
Architectural Partner: Marvel Architects
Status: Completed 2022

Photography: Isaac Lane Koval