Tenafly, New Jersey
2018
This boutique fitness branding study explored a more organic integration of fitness into everyday life. Our branded environment design explores the concept of a “getaway” every day, within the retail space. Design elements like a wood slatted ceiling, the boulder reception desk, and breeze block partitions refer to a walk into a grotto. The fitness studio is mostly naturally lit, and connects people in the workout to the verdant landscape through new windows.
New York, New York
2011 - 12
5,600sf
We have designed over 10,000sf of space for this leading group fitness brand. The Madison Avenue location was the first to be built, requiring a gut renovation. The framework for the project was to integrate ‘functional training’ into the gym – a new trend that eliminates bulky workout machinery in favor of flexible design. Our solution was to create an infrastructure that uses lighting, mirrors, custom metal designs, and milled panel fabrication to connect training with the space. Custom-fabricated metal monkey bars are a sculptural addition to a hallway; their complex shape challenges the athlete to negotiate multiple pathways. A milled screen wall and ceiling veil people coming into the gym, while integrated neon lighting creates an alternate light source. The architecture itself becomes a workout device.
Photo credit: David Joseph
New York, New York
2014 - 15
At 93 Worth Street, a luxury condo building in TriBeCa, we created a high-end workout space for I.C.E. NYC, a new concept that combines cross-training, high-intensity interval training and yoga with a spa-like experience. Our design – inspired by Grand Central Station – emerged from a brainstorming session focused on the question, “Which iconic New York City public space would be the most fun place to work out?” To that end, the studio is luxuriously outfitted with classic brass fixtures, stone walls, a grand staircase and stunning blue accents. I.C.E. – which stands for Infinite Crosstraining Experience – informed the brass-accented infinite mirror and selfie wall in this the unique fitness studio.
Sunnyside, Queens, New York
2014 -
7000sf
The Thalia Spanish Theatre is the first and only bilingual Hispanic theatre in Queens, serving one of the most diverse communities in the United States, including more than one million Hispanics from every Spanish-speaking nation in the world. Located in a storefront in the Sunnyside section of Queens, this project expands the space vertically to create additional audience seating, a proper technical booth, and enlarged administrative office and dressing rooms. The facade features a large metal mesh curtain wall; before performances, the curtain wall is lowered to the sidewalk to provide a space for the ticket line to form on the sidewalk while the interior of the lobby is then freed for gathering. Behind the curtain is a giant, tilted marquee that is lit with an LED screen that can be programmed with images or lighting effects. The front-of-house patron experience will be greatly improved with a double-height entry and increased amenities such as a streetfront box office window, a theatre “history wall,” and additional restrooms. Studies and renderings by Smith & Architects were instrumental in helping Thalia receive a $4.3 million capital improvement grant from the City of New York in 2014.
International
2012 -
Barry’s Bootcamp is in the process of rebranding all of its locations. By partnering with their new creative director, we have set the stage for the large expansion of their company in the coming years. Barry’s in Miami Beach was the first to be built after the rebranding. New concepts include a custom camouflage motif, metal treatments and LED vanity lighting. To date our Barry’s portfolio includes 20 locations internationally.
Locations:
Upper West Side, New York
construction 2017
Dubai, UAE
construction 2016
Southampton, New York
construction 2016
Santa Monica, California
construction 2016
Boston Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
construction 2016
Aventura Miami, Florida
construction 2016
Park Avenue South, New York
construction 2016
Upper East Side, New York
construction 2015
Hollywood, California
construction 2014-15
Midtown Miami, Florida
construction 2014
Oslo, Norway
construction 2014
Amagansett, New York
construction 2014
NoHo, New York
construction 2014
San Francisco, California
construction 2013-14
Sherman Oaks Expansion, California
design 2013-14
Boston, Massachusetts
construction 2013
Miami Beach, Florida
construction 2013
Chelsea Expansion, New York
construction 2012-13
TriBeCa, New York
construction 2012
East Hampton, New York
construction 2012
New York, New York
2015 - 16
Our 19th project for Barry’s Bootcamp had its grand opening on the Upper East Side in February 2016. The uptown location required a major renovation of a 5,500sf space to convert a second floor movie theater in a residential condo into a highly visible Barry’s studio space. In addition to leveling the sloping theater floor, the space required detailed acoustical work, as well as intensive HVAC and plumbing upgrades, which required x-raying the thick concrete shear wall to install new ductwork. While Barry’s signature red lights illuminate the studio, new branded elements include gold and silver tiles at the men's and women's spa-quality locker rooms. Expansion of the Barry's community to the Upper East Side – the fitness brand’s first uptown location – rolled out seamlessly, with the studio’s classes at full capacity from opening day.
Photo credit: Gustav Liliequist
New York, New York
2014
7,100sf
Our tenth Barry’s Bootcamp project is located near Astor Place on Lafayette Street in New York City. The new studio is a landmark addition to the neighborhood’s collection of theaters, lofts, and fitness studios. The 5,275sf space features restored vaulted plaster ceilings and raw cast-iron columns that complement the sleek athletic look that DesBrisay & Smith developed for Barry’s. The project includes Barry’s signature fitness studio, reception area,
retail display and spa-like changing rooms. The focal point of the entry is the Fuel Bar cafe area for food and post-workout shakes: this is where the Barry’s community gathers and connects before and after a workout.
Photo credit: David Joseph Photography
Mural credit: Barry's Bootcamp/Christopher Ayres & Colossal Media
New York, New York
2012
The design and construction of a new exercise studio for New York City fitness powerhouse, Barry's Bootcamp, was our second project for this client. The retail, check-in and juice bar areas were conceptualized as a large interior billboard that stretches the entire length of the space along busy Sixth Avenue near the Holland Tunnel exit. The company's camouflage pattern was enlarged and signage was illuminated for greater visibility. Emphasizing the industrial aesthetic of the brand, the existing ceiling structure was cleaned and exposed and the floors were stained and sealed, including a "floor camouflage" pattern that is reminiscent of the paths of a bootcamp-type obstacle course.
The signature fitness studio is located on the main level and includes extensive acoustical measures to limit music and sound transmission. New to the fitness studio experience at Barry's is a custom-designed set of "monkey bars" that is used for resistance training.
Locker and supports spaces are located on the lower level which is accessed via a new steel/concrete stair and elevator. The base building features original foundations from the pre-Civil War era and is located on what used to be the edge of the Hudson River. Thus, because of water pressure issues, the plumbing for the lower level facilities could not penetrate the existing slab without great expense. Inventive engineering was employed to provide the plumbing services under a raised floor.
Press:
wellandgood.nyc 'Barry's Bootcamp TriBeCa: A First Workout Report' | 19 October 2012 PDF
Fox 5 News Report | 18 October 2012
blog.rateyourburn.com 'Interview with Joey Gonzalez, Celebrity Trainer and Chief Operating Officer of Barry's Bootcamp' | 16 October 2012 PDF
TriBeCa Citizen 'New Kid on the Block: Barry's Bootcamp' | 05 October 2012 PDF
celebzter.com 'Behind The Velvet Rope: The Opening of Barry's Bootcamp in New York' | 01 October 2012 PDF
wellandgoodnyc.com '6 New Fitness Studios Opening in New York This Fall' | 04 September 2012 PDF1 & PDF2
examiner.com 'Barry's Bootcamp Heads To TriBeCa' | 09 November 2012 PDF
rateyourburn.com 'Burn Blog, Gym/Studio Review: Barry's Bootcamp @ 1 York Street, New York' | 27 November 2012 PDF
Playground the official blog of gorecess.com 'GoRecess Playground Pro: Joey Gonzalez, Barry's Bootcamp, New York, NY' | 29 January 2013 PDF
honestbuildings.com 'Traditional Gyms Get the Boot' | 02 April 2014 PDF
Photography credit: David Joseph
New York, New York
2016
Photo credit: Gustav Liliequist
Queens, New York
2014 -
8,900sf
This important student hub of activity includes the campus bookstore, outfitted with new custom fabricated signage and lighting that will mark the location, and better integrate with the existing building. Additional renovations include reconfiguring twelve bathrooms on all floors and improving all lighting and fixtures. In addition, 3,800 square feet of the first floor hallway required new finishes, ceiling and lighting.
Photo credit: Gustav Liliequist
Sunnyside, Queens, New York
Design 2011 - 12
60,000sf
The design for this multi-use community center takes advantage of an unusual triangular-shaped site. The building has three prominent facades (a rare thing in New York City) and is visible from most points of the neighborhood. The ground floor is maximized as retail space, so that the center’s operating costs
are offset by retail rent. Instead of creating an icon out of the volume of the building, we chose to reveal the interior of the building where the functions are most dense: at the stairs and ramps that connect the floors and all of the spaces. We envisioned the space on a Saturday morning filled with kids like a
vertical public park, with overlapping activities happening. In this regard, it is the perfect representation of the tight-knit community of Sunnyside, Queens -- a neighborhood remarkable for its wide cultural diversity as well as the sheer quantity of trees and evenly distributed green spaces.
Queens, New York
2014 -
1,200sf
An outdated, poorly used lab has been transformed into two completely upgraded, efficient pharmaceutical lab spaces. Rather than employing a traditional lab layout, we designed peninsulas to create additional workspace. New energy efficient lighting and updated HVAC reduce energy costs, while anti-static flooring and chemical resistant cabinets and countertops provide durable surfaces. All construction had to be completed during the summer to be ready for the new semester.
Photo credit: Gustav Liliequist
Phases I, II & III
Woodside, Queens, New York
2013 - 15
41,000sf
The Academy of the City Charter School is a tuition-free, community-based public charter school located in Long Island City, Queens, New York. This project renovated a former Catholic private school, leased by the Academy in order to fulfill its mission to provide free, quality education to a diverse student body. The framework for renovation was to convert the traditional layout into a 21st century learning space for students, teachers and administrators. The outdated administrative offices were expanded and enclosed in glass to establish transparency. Special Education and English Language Learner breakout rooms are built with glass corners to provide acoustical privacy with visual connections. Eliminating outmoded storage closets opened up classrooms for collaborative learning. Sustainable upgrades were made throughout to the electrical, plumbing and IT systems, including kitchen, bathroom, and art/science rooms. Smith & Architects was instrumental in organizing a volunteer painting event that included parents, students, community volunteers and our staff. Paint donated by Sherwin Williams in Woodside, Queens helped the project budget and the event was covered in the Queens Ledger.
Press:
queensledger.com "New charter school in Woodside prepares for fall semester" | 21 August 2013 PDF
Photo credit: Gustav Lillequist
Brooklyn, New York
2012 - 13
6,500sf
This project is a renovation of an open loft space in the DUMBO neighborhood f Brooklyn for a thriving media company. The office design centers around an open gathering space, or “hub” that can be used for meetings of various sizes, company gatherings, dining, film and television screenings, or just quiet
contemplation. To create this hub we fabricated panels using water-jet cutting technology on expanded metal mesh material. The metal panels dialogue with the existing permanent electrical service feeder lines and add visual interest with varying levels of privacy while allowing light to enter into the center of the floorplate.
Photo credit: Gustav Liliequist
New York, New York
2014
Building on previous work at Rogers Marvel Architects, renovation of the Bonakdar Gallery office space was driven by two main considerations: the gallery’s established aesthetic and the extensive book collection – an artifact in itself. The fabricated powder-coated plate steel desk, conferencing tables and bookshelves create a weightless quality while providing a platform to showcase the gallery’s multicolored library collection.
Photo credit: Gustav Liliequist
Metal casework: Parke MacDowell/MATO
Mt. Kisco, New York
2014-15
Power Four Fitness began as a branding study for a new high-end, high-intensity interval training boutique. Through an exploration of "euphoria," we mapped three concepts – a dance club in Brooklyn, a night in Barcelona and a roller derby match. Power Four Fitness, a 3,200 SF workout studio in Mt. Kisco, NY, grew out of this mapping exercise – with intense, colorful LED lighting and a DJ booth. To heighten the anticipation of the workout, the architecture features peeks and glimpses of variegated lighting and the DJ booth through studio windows. The studio itself – which features four modes of training: run, row, lift and bounce – maximizes the nightclub-like programmable LED fixtures by choreographing them to the workout and the DJ's music. Prolonging the post-party euphoria is the after-party space, a relaxing cool-down area that flows into the spa-like locker rooms.
Lighting Design: Robert Bloom, RBB Designs
Photo credit: Gustav Liliequist
Queens, New York
2015
For our long-time institutional client, St. John’s University, DSA has renovated labs, student spaces and other infrastructure. But the conversion of a 1,100sf former gym space into a golf simulator was a unique and interesting design project. The simulator allows for all-season practice, as well as analysis of golfing techniques using video playback technology, which required specialized bright lighting for the video system. Currently in design is afuture lounge space for socializing, communal viewing of performance videos and televised golf events.
Queens Campus, Queens, New York
2013 -
26,400sf
DesBrisay & Smith has developed an ongoing relationship with St. John’s University, a Catholic University with historic roots in New York City. Three significant renovation projects include renovating and upgrading the St. Albert Hall Labs and St. Louise de Marillac Hall, a significant student hub on campus; and renovating most of the ROTC Building for the University’s Design & Construction and Facilities Management Departments.
Projects:
ROTC Building Renovation
St. Albert Hall Lab Renovation
St. Louise de Marillac Hall
University Addresses and Certificates of Occupancy Update
University Bookstore Signage & Exterior Upgrades
New York, New York
2014 -
The Waterfall - This zone provides space for lockers and an attractive vanity, the waterfall features a kaleidoscopic approach to utilizing the central window of the space. Private change rooms and showers are set within the underside of the hill construct to create an environment which alludes to washing in a natural waterfall.
The Hill - The hill construct uses a single module, composed of two scales which aggregate to create the form of the hill. As the hill transitions from the easiest intensity to most difficult, the modules introduce varying heights, direction of movement, and different levels of cadence.
The Field - This logic of varying levels of difficulty or intensity translate into the logic which programs the field construct. Markings on the floor represent activities which vary in their cadence, distance, and are designed to collide and overlap in the field zone. This results in a wide range of application for the user, which can be adapted to the user’s ability.
The Canopy - The canopy is meant to harness the prominent views from the street to showcase the reimagined workout provided by Definitions. Passerby at street level can look up into the space and see users traversing a monkey‐bar type construct, while users experience a sense of grandeur or spectacle in their workout. The canopy is designed with the logic or increasing difficulty, beginning with a regularity and simplicity, which transitions to a more difficult, strenuous activity.
Current
DSA has undertaken many explorations of materials as both research projects and customized designs for clients. Our fabrication work includes water and laser cuts of steel panels and metal mesh; we have tested camouflage patterns on walnut veneered plywood; carved recycled plastic panels for an office renovation; and made a screen panel design created by a nonrepeating algorithm.
New York, New York
Installation 2006
Chad Smith (at Rogers Marvel) created a trade show booth for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). The customized vertical cabinet displays the client’s neon products comprised of chandeliers and bespoke designs, as well as a spectrum box that demonstrates all the different colors the company can create. The vertical cabinet is designed to be portable from one trade show to another. The pieces can be disassembled, easily transported and reassembled on site.
Roosevelt Island, New York City
Competition 2006
Roosevelt Island has traditionally been an island of healing and refuge from nearby Manhattan. Despite its proximity to the city, Roosevelt Island is difficult to get to, creating a psychological distance. This unique coupling of closeness and distance, density and dispersion, hectic and calm, is what makes this piece of New York City the perfect location for a Wellness Center, for personal and corporate retreats, spa treatments, wellness classes, and performances.
The competition brief insisted on salvaging a derelict ruin of an asylum at South Point, the southern tip of Roosevelt Island. The ruin is in such disrepair that the structure supporting it from complete collapse is more prominent than the ruin itself. Inspired by John Baldessari’s “Wrong”, which reproduces a depiction from an amateur photography book about how to take correct pictures, this project was approached from the idea of wrong preservation. We chose to preserve the ruin as it is, in a state of picturesque decay, without restoration of any kind. To heighten this, the new additions to the ruin would be affixed to what was formerly the exterior of the asylum, and the former interior would be left open to the weather.
The strategy of wrong preservation was continued by splitting the additions into two main buildings, connected by an underground passage. The outlines of the addition and the materials they are made of camouflage their boundaries, relationship to the site, and their recognizability as additions to the ruin. They are meant to read as beautiful growths on the ruin, much the way ivy covers the masonry now.
Right Preservation: New construction supports existing exterior. Additions minimize or erase effects of time by restoring past version of the structure.
Wrong Preservation: New construction is supported by existing exterior. Additions preserve the structure as is, in the present moment.
New York, New York
2014 -
As part of the growing investment portfolio of Weissman Equities, the Mount Morris Park project in Harlem brings about positive change to an underperforming property, as well as to the surrounding neighborhood.
Improvements to the property include the conversion of a basement level apartment to retail space and includes the introduction of a modern storefront that is sensitive and responsive to the historic context of the neighboring buildings. All work on the project is subject to review at a hearing of the city’s Landmarks Preservation Committee (LPC).
The residential scope of the project gut-renovates five existing apartments. Kitchens will be installed with new cabinets, attractive finishes and modern appliances, including a washer/dryer in each unit. Bathrooms were redesigned and bedrooms will be added to the larger apartments to convert them from two-bedroom to three-bedroom units. New lighting and flooring finish off the look and feel of a tasteful and highly marketable New York City apartment.
Press:
NY Yimby '187 Lenox Avenue' | 28 January 2015 PDF
Daily News 'New ownership renovating former Dickens eyesore' | 23 January 2015 PDF
New York, New York
2016
New York, New York
Competition 2003
Exhibited in Grand Central Station 2003
Like The Hudson River Park, the High Line is a continuous strip of landscape, not affected by the start-and-stop of Manhattan’s street grid, with an underlying infrastructure holding it in place. Yet the High Line differs in that there is a separation between natural plantings above and raw steel structure below; and it is prized for its uniquely elevated point of view. By extending the coastal park, this project will encourage walkers to enter the body of the city and enhance the connection of the waterfront to the city.
To do this, the High Line must create a circuit with The Hudson River Park, while at the same time maintaining its disconnection to the city’s grid. We proposed two techniques, working in tandem: 1. Connect to The Hudson River Park where the High Line is closest to the water, at the 34th Street railyards, the 17th Street gallery site, and 14th Street interchange. This will have the effect of making the High Line register as a natural element in the city, and create smooth, direct connection to the street. 2. Enhance the existing elevated forest above and infrastructural forest below the High Line, heightening the pleasurable disconnection with Manhattan. The inspiration is taken from both upland/shoreline landscapes and the existing artifact of the High Line itself.
The final circuit created allows those who use the waterfront the option to never double back, and allows park users to enter Hell’s Kitchen, stop at the Chelsea Art District, or go shopping on 14th Street. This increased foot traffic will, in turn, encourage commercial development under and over the High Line.
Brooklyn, New York
Neil Blackwell LLC, Project Designer & Coordinator with DesBrisay & Smith Architects & Mark Genfan, Acoustical Designer
2015 - 16
As the Architect of Record, we worked closely with designer Neil Blackwell and acoustical designer Mark Genfan to convert this Greenpoint area former garage into a state-of-the-art sound and recording studio. The space features two separate recording studios, as well as two music production rooms and a spacious lounge. In addition to collaborating with the designers, as the Architect of Record, we oversaw the gut renovation including all mechanical electrical and plumbing systems, accessibility solutions, and infill of the former garage door openings.
Woodbridge, New Jersey
Design 1997
The Museum For Land Art is the first institution of its kind for exhibiting Land Art. Because most of the iconic sculptures and activities from the Land Art era of the 1960s and 1970s are installed in remote places, this offers New York museum visitors an opportunity to see land art locally.
The Woodbridge Center Shopping Mall—entirely bounded by highways, and opened in 1971—is contemporaneous with the Land Art Movement and would serve as an incongruous terrain for exhibiting Land Art. Installations would occupy the many surrounding right-of-ways, power line easements, highway interchanges, and unused parking lot areas. In addition, the roof of the mall is available for installation, as a simple land ramp provides easy access to the roof.
New York, New York
2006
As the Chelsea Art Gallery District became world renowned, Chad Smith (at Rogers Marvel Architects) led the design for Zach Feuer’s new gallery space that announced Mr. Feuer as a serious art dealer (he was the youngest co-founder of the New Art Dealers Association). Creating a contemporary art gallery for Mr. Feuer to exhibit emerging artists involved an interior fit-out in a new mixed-use building on W. 22rd Street. Details included a flexible lighting system that combined fluorescent and high-intensity floodlights on a custom track system. The brushed concrete floors and white walls allowed the art to speak for itself.
New York, New York
2014
305 Fitness is a dance-based group fitness concept named after Miami's area code. 305 Fitness provides dance/cardio classes, each with a DJ, dance moves, sports drills and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to create full-body workouts.
The 2-story space features 2 large studios on the lower level with a cool hang-out space that fosters the growth of the 305 community. The upper level features a reception/check-in area and full-service locker rooms, including showers. Spaces upstairs and downstairs are playfully decorated with unique mural art and bright pops of color and neon.
Project team: Lloyd DesBrisay, Chad Smith, Katherine Donkersloot
East Hampton, New York
2014
Brand development and retail environment design. Forthcoming Spring 2014.
New York, New York
Neil Blackwell LLC, Project Designer & Coordinator with Smith & Architects
2014 - 15
As the Architects of Record, we worked closely with designer Neil Blackwell to bring this contemporary classic pub to life. The three-story space on Maiden Lane in Lower Manhattan features original steel infrastructure discovered during demolition. The layout and programming include the insertion of a mezzanine level with a private dining room, and a speakeasy below grade. The main level features a crescent-shaped bar, exposed brick and warm wood and leather accents. In addition to collaborating with the designer, as the Architects of Record, we oversaw the gut renovation, all mechanical and plumbing systems, interior programming and layout, as well as the necessary zoning approvals related to the insertion of the mezzanine level.
Having acquired extensive experience designing spaces for healthy living through our fitness brand work, S&A has undertaken an R&D project to bring this knowledge to people of all income levels. Studies show that public open space is critical to health and wellness, and that people are much more likely to stick with a fitness program if peers are engaged in exercise together.
To this end, our Park for Work project seeks to apply cutting-edge fitness design to outdoor public spaces. Our kit of parts can be adapted to a variety of conditions, particularly underutilized urban spaces that are not suitable to verdant parks. We are currently seeking community partners interested in installing a Park for Work project to activate their public spaces.
For our study, we chose three disparate sites to show how the elements we have developed can be deployed under different urban conditions and for a wide variety of fitness levels. Park for Work, however, is more than a kit of parts. It is a process for gathering stakeholders together around a common goal. By designing an adaptable kit of parts, people can begin to imagine how to create a public space that brings people together around health and wellness.
Various Locations.
Shown: West End Avenue, New York, NY
2012-2018
Smith & Architects has been working with New York Kids Club since 2012, creating spaces for kids to grow and develop through physical activity from ages 2-12. Located around New York City, NYKC facilities provide state-of-the art gym space for gymnastics, karate, dance, tennis and other activities. Each of our new facilities for NYKC requires a gut renovation of interior commercial/retail space, involving strict coordination with the Department of Building and the Department of Health in order to secure proper licensing. We have completed seven of these adaptive reuse facilities so far, providing high quality facilities to children across the city.
Photography: Alexander Severin
Midtown Manhattan
2018
NOVA Fitness Innovation is a burgeoning network of boutique fitness studios founded by fitness entrepreneur Jackie Wilson, that raises the bar by combining cutting-edge technology and fitness.
For Nova’s new 1,800 SF Madison Ave fitness studio our design responds to Nova’s technological workouts, drawing upon futuristic technology and lunar maps for inspiration. Using scripting software, we generated a custom perforated metallic lobby desk and wall for the reception area and a design for custom printed vinyl wallpaper for the main space. The wallpaper pattern transforms across the full 60ft length of the fitness studio, adding a sense of rhythmic progression to highlight the new location.
Brooklyn, NY 2018
Smith & Architects worked with Ascend Charter Schools to create a new flagship facility within a classic 1940s Diocese school in Brooklyn. The scope of the project included the complete refurbishment of millwork paneling in classrooms, terrazzo slab paneling in hallways, and a grand auditorium/gym space. The school now provides a state-of-the-art learning environment that serves its mission while retaining treasured qualities of material and craft found in the historic spaces.
The almost 31,000 SF renovation includes the basement, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th levels. In the basement we upgraded the floor with new VCT tile and carpet and converted storage space into new administrative offices. The 1st level now provides new office space, a teacher center, IT and nurse room, while the existing classrooms on the upper levels received a full upgrade. Our design adds new boys’ and girls’ rooms on the 3rd and 4th level and all new plumbing fixtures. We worked closely with the client team to reimagine the color scheme throughout, resulting in a carefully calibrated spectrum that complements the refurbished terrazzo hallways and bathrooms and the classrooms’ wood floors and handsome mill work paneling.
Photography: Alexander Severin
Sunnyside, Queens, New York
2018 -
25,500 sf
The new Thalia Hispanic Arts & Culture Center will provide a much needed home for Hispanic Culture for all of New York City, while also being a part of the daily life of Queens. The building is designed to be iconic and at the same time an integral part of its neighborhood and block.
Our design includes references as diverse as Pre-Columbian ruins, the Art Deco terra-cotta and brick designs of the neighborhood (themselves referencing Pre-Columbian art.)
The building’s four floors and cellar accommodate a program of two theaters and support spaces, recording studios, rehearsal rooms, rooms for visual arts and education, and administrative offices. The two theaters are stacked one on top of the other, connected by a removable wall and fitted with retractable seating. The space outside of the theaters is visible directly from the street, on two levels; this space is programmed to accommodate public and educational events, as well as the normal gathering that happens before and after theater productions. Most of the day this interior public space will display its life to the sidewalk and invite the public to participate.
The two theaters are arranged according to the two Maya calendars. The lower theater is Sol, with 365 seats, echoing the 365 days of the Haab (civil) Maya calendar. The upper theater is Luna, with 260 seats, echoing the Tzolkin (divine) Maya calendar. Like the two Maya calendars, the two theaters work both independently and together. They combine to create a destination theater that can host globally touring artists and productions. They can operate separately to provide completely independent events. Because of the retractable seating, Luna may be hosting an intimate acoustic guitar performance while Sol has its seating retracted to allow for an installation of paintings.
The rehearsal spaces, art studios, and classrooms are located on the upper floors of Thalia with large and long windows, giving these spaces a sweeping vista of the neighborhood.
At the lower floor openings and the ceilings for the public lobbies, eroded boulder-like shapes become the primary structural elements. This gives this two story public space a scale befitting its importance to the community, while connecting it with the neighborhood.
The upper floors are clad in highly textured brick masonry, accented by horizontal bands of glazed, colored terracotta with intermediate bands of carved stone which provide opportunities for artistic collaboration.
New York, NY
2019
Rowgatta is a rowing-inspired boutique fitness studio offering a workout that maximizes strength and endurance gains with minimal impact on the joints. Smith & Architects’ design for the new studio began with a careful analysis of the Rowgatta community ethos, the specialized workout and equipment, and the sequence of spaces needed to facilitate these. A sense of spaciousness is provided by a deep blue color palette used throughout the studio across a range of high quality materials, linking program areas to build community and support the development of athletes of all skill levels.
Photography: Meredith Pilcher @meredith_275
and @MatteoPhotographs
Upstate New York
2021
This is a research project for an upstate artists retreat. We wanted to dive deeper into the concept we call Second Nature, and in particular explore how the biophilic impact of immersion in landscape is related to a similar immersion in art. What are the artistic and cultural constructions/structures that trigger the experience of healing?
We know that being bathed in nature has a healing effect on our nervous systems. This is hard wired into our being. We also know that the making or experiencing of art can be therapeutic. Being bathed in cultural constructions can also heal us. This is the second form of Nature that humans experience, the universal shared cultural experiences of beauty and raw human creation. It is similar to the experience of the sublime that characterizes our relationship to nature. We call this Second Nature. It is also hardwired into our nervous system. It introduces a change of state into our nervous system similar to the effects of biophilic design.
By combining biophilic techniques with cultural artistic experiences we have more tools at our disposal to create places that positively impact our health.
The primary architectural device used here is to think of programming the landscape into gardens. The gardens will be used by both plants and artistic production, with a gradient of groundscapes to accommodate a gradient of uses. Artists-in-residence will each have a shed-like production studio sunk into the landscape; they are covered with planted roofs that camouflage them when seen upslope. Sleeping quarters are in an existing house at the top of the slope: the daily cycle of an artist is to go into the land. Visitors cross the landscape at a right angle to artists, creating connections between artists during the day.
