location:

New York, NY

firm role:

Architecture and Interior Design

scale:

40,655 SF

synopsis:

Fotografiska New York is the US outpost of the internationally renowned destination for photography based in Stockholm. The adaptive reuse of the 1894 Landmark houses a museum crafted with the DNA of Fotografiska. The goal of the project was to create a space for New Yorkers to meet, eat, drink and experience photography through an immersive series of rotating exhibitions, while simultaneously returning the historic landmark to the public.

The ground floor welcomes the community with a public café, wine bar and a curated book store, featuring reading nooks and seating areas to allow for a sense of discovery. The ground floor was also designed to increase connectivity with the upper floors. Lined with large wall graphics, the main circulation stairway serves as a preview and vertical extension of exhibits located on floors 3-5. Within the gallery floors, excluding natural light through the addition of interior walls was intentional, with ambient light designed to provide a sense of intimacy with the artwork. These interior walls serve a dual purpose, effectively turning the façade into a 5th canvas, projecting art back to the city and offering a glimpse inside Fotografiska. Above the galleries, the 6th floor has been repurposed and expanded to create a unique environment for public gathering such as lectures, concerts and private events. In keeping with the Fotografiska DNA, the program also includes a full service restaurant on the 2nd floor and an additional bar located in the renovated Calvary Church Annex.

PHOTO CREDIT:

© David Sundberg | ESTO

© Adrian Gaut