Reaching Back | Designing Forward
POWERHOUSE ARTS
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
Rising from the vestiges of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit power station, Powerhouse Arts is a new 170,000SF art fabrication facility in Gowanus providing workshops for large scale art production in 5 mediums: metal, wood ceramic, textiles and printmaking. PBDW teamed up with Herzog & deMeuron to integrate the station’s majestic but long-abandoned Turbine Hall into a larger complex to serve as a home for the dynamic new institution.
The new complex echoes the original power station in its massing and site usage, maintaining a distinction between modern and historic components while combining them into a harmonious whole. The design retains vestiges of the artistic grittiness and flourish of the Turbine Hall remnant, which had become a renowned exhibition site for graffiti artists before the renovation. The new volume, reminiscent of the station’s original Boiler House, is rendered in cast red concrete that is sympathetic in color and sheen to the Turbine Hall’s brickwork, but distinctly modern in its craft. The interplay between the original, annotated industrial surfaces and the modern addition creates a refreshingly vibrant environment for creating and experiencing art.
AT A GLANCE
Cultural Facility
Adaptive Reuse
Preservation
Industrial Architecture
Waterfront
SERVICES
Preservation
New Construction
Renovation
Executive Architect
HIGHLIGHTS
Workshops in 5 Mediums
Grand Hall and Exhibition Hall
Material Library and Administrative Offices
Lecture Hall
Photography by Albert Vecerka/ESTO and PBDW Architects
PARK AVENUE ARMORY
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Built in 1880 as both a military and a social club, the Seventh Regiment Armory houses a rare collection of significant period rooms designed by the most prominent artists and designers of their time. As a design counterpoint, the soaring, industrialscaled Drill Hall celebrates the structural innovations of the era. Since 2006, PBDW has worked closely with the Park Avenue Armory Conservancy (PAA) and Herzog & de Meuron to renovate and upgrade the building for contemporary use while showcasing a well-crafted balance between the patina of time and the evolution of the building which makes its history so unique.
From the outset, PBDW applied an investigative approach to develop an intimate understanding of the building’s cultural and construction history. This informs each element of the renovation, from the integration of modern infrastructure to the restoration of decorative paint schemes.
We have worked collaboratively with the PAA to define and refine each new project phase to best meet their evolving programming objectives as they have grown from a small group of concerned visionaries into one of New York’s most vibrant cultural institutions. The multi-phased renovation has transformed the Armory’s historic environs into a world-class arts and performance venue.
AT A GLANCE
Landmark Restoration
Visual and Performing Arts Venue
LEED Silver Certified SERVICES
Historic Preservation
Renovation
Phased Construction
Timed Egress Analysis
Building Systems, Code Compliance, and Accessibility Upgrades
HIGHLIGHTS
55,000 SF Clear-Span Drill Hall
Historically Important Period Interiors
Women’s Shelter Facilities, Administrative Offices, and Rehearsal Space
TSX BROADWAY/PALACE THEATRE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
In 2013, PBDW was engaged to design TSX Broadway: a redevelopment project facing Father Duffy Square, at the heart of Times Square. In collaboration with the same development firm of PBDW’s EDITION Times Square project across 47th Street, the “sibling” buildings were envisioned by the owner as a new gateway to the “bow tie” of Times Square where Broadway and Seventh Avenue converge. PBDW developed the Master Plan for the entire TSX project featuring retail, entertainment and hospitality programs pivoting around the visionary concept of elevating the iconic Palace Theatre 30 feet above grade to allow for retail use below.
The complicated zoning analysis included the retention of 25% of the existing Double Tree Hotel, built atop the 1912 theater in 1988. The design integrated innovative ideas, such as an LED screen (one of the largest in the world) which opens to reveal a stage facing the Square, provisions for a new theater lobby on 47th Street with an increased public engagement at street level, and improved front of house and back of house facilities for the theater.
PBDW coordinated the scope of design disciplines in the preliminary documentation stages, including the building envelope and early energy analysis, through late 2016. From that point on, the firm’s role was primarily that of design and preservation architects for the landmarked Palace Theatre.
The Palace Theatre is a New York City Interior Landmark and built for vaudeville mogul Martin Beck in 1913. Over the years, it has functioned as a vaudeville playhouse, a movie theater and a world-renowned performing arts theater, and PBDW worked closely with the theater lift consultant and engineers on the stabilization, vibration and environmental monitoring required to prepare the theater for this groundbreaking 30-foot vertical lift. The project also included a new theater entrance, an 80-foot marquee, a new lobby, and an entire rebuilding of the stage house. The thoughtful and unifying design of TSX Broadway and the Palace Theatre helped to bring Times Square back into the modern day spotlight while honoring its longstanding historical footprint.
20 TIMES SQUARE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
This 42-story development incorporated the renovation of an existing commercial building and construction of approximately 370,000 SF of new space. The client sought to build a multi-use development that included an integrated urban hotel, retail shopping, and an entertainment destination.
PBDW developed a design solution on the tight urban site that is comprised of a 6-story commercial base within the existing building structure, 4 stories for entertainment use, 27 floors of hotel guestrooms and base building mechanical spaces within a tower above the commercial podium. Prominently oriented towards the “bow-tie” of Times Square, the building provides one of the largest, uninterrupted outdoor LED media walls in the world. It is designed to be an immediate global attraction and a new “must-see” New York City destination by offering an unmatched shopping, hospitality, entertainment, and media experience, all within the heart of Times Square.
AT A GLANCE
Mixed-Use Development
Hotel
Retail
Entertainment
SERVICES
Architectural Design
Programming
Zoning Analysis
NYC Zoning and Building Approvals
Alteration/New Building Hybrid
Fast-Track Delivery
Design-Assist Process for Façade and MEP Systems
HIGHLIGHTS
452-Key Hotel
60,000 SF of Retail Space
18,000 SF High Definition LED Billboard
Cabaret Theater
5 Separate Food and Beverage Venues
462 BROADWAY
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Erected in 1880 with frontage on Broadway, Grand, and Crosby Streets, 462 Broadway is the largest fully-clad cast iron structure within the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District. PBDW was retained to restore the entire façade, including all 400 linear feet of ground level storefront. We replaced 11’ tall double-hung wood windows, repainted the entire six-story elevation in the original color, and restored more than 1,550 of the original 2,000 cast iron pieces that made up the 108 Corinthian capitals.
All work is based on our Landmarks approved Master Plan, which allows different layouts while retaining the building’s historic character. After PBDW’s restoration, 462 Broadway has regained its original grandeur as one of the most impressive buildings in the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District. Our restoration was recognized with a Restoration Award from the Municipal Art Society, a Stanford White Award from the Institute for Classical Architecture & Art, and a Lucy Moses Award from the New York Landmarks Conservancy.
AT A GLANCE
Historic Restoration
Commercial Structure
Cast Iron Building
SERVICES
Historic Research and Paint Analysis
Façade Restoration
Master Plan for Future Interventions
Landmarks Preservation Commission Approvals
HIGHLIGHTS
Cast Iron Capitals
2-Color Paint Scheme
Monumental Storefronts
NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Established in 1804, the New-York Historical Society is New York’s first museum and one of the city’s premier cultural institutions. Working with the Society since 2005, PBDW helped transform the closed-off and reserved building into one that invites the public through its architecture and programming. The initial project, following the creation of a master plan, included renovations to the Central Park West and 77th Street entrances, and redesign of the entrance gallery, auditorium and children’s gallery.
In 2013, PBDW renovated the Society’s fourth floor galleries. The project included the first-of-its-kind gallery dedicated to the role of women in American history, the renovation of the Luce Center galleries, a new education technology center, a gallery lounge and a new gallery to exhibit the Society’s collection of Tiffany lamps, designed in coordination with Eva Jiřičná Architects.
Completed in 2020, the Meet the Presidents Gallery includes a recreation of the White House Oval Office. PBDW researched and designed the recreation, including replica furniture, fabrics and carpet.
AT A GLANCE
Exterior and Interior Renovation
New Exhibit Galleries
Upgraded Infrastructure
Improved Accessibility
SERVICES
Programming
Master Planning
Renovation
Accessibility
HIGHLIGHTS
Renovated Entrance, Galleries and Auditorium
New Exhibit Spaces
Upgraded Museum Infrastructure
Accessible Entrance
MOISE SAFRA CENTER
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
The Moise Safra Center is a new institution organized around the need for a place to worship and celebrate, as well as to nurture its members. Drawing from our deep understanding of similar institutions, PBDW helped guide the Center to develop a building that would act as a second home for the Jewish community it serves, as well as unite a broad range of programming inclusive of both community center and religious functions. We were also challenged to create distinct identities for the religious and community spaces that would ensure that the building, as a whole, remained cohesive.
The 65,000 SF building is packed with community and religious spaces in a vertical campus spread over 14 floors. The program includes a wellness center and pool, classrooms, and flexible spaces designed to adapt to varying program needs. Religious spaces include a double-height sanctuary space and a smaller daily sanctuary, a generous library/study, and offices for the rabbinical staff. We located banquet rooms on the building’s upper floors with an outdoor terrace. This floor’s fully retractable glass wall allows events to flow seamlessly from interior to exterior.
AT A GLANCE
Vertical Campus
New Construction
Religious and Community Functions
SERVICES
Programming
Space Planning
Architectural Design
HIGHLIGHTS
Double Height Formal Synagogue
100-Seat Daily Synagogue
Half Basketball Court
4-Lane Pool
Dining Facilities with Outdoor Terrace
2021 American Architecture Award, Religious Buildings category
2021 Architizer A+ Awards, Finalist in the Architecture + Stone category
14TH STREET Y
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
The 14th Street Y is a multi-generational community center in New York City. Their vision for the new Y is to serve simultaneously as a “town square” for the East Village community as well as provide a cutting-edge cultural destination that explores four programmatic pillars – arts and culture, education, health and wellness, and civic engagement.
Since 2005, PBDW has been working with the 14th Street Y to prepare their current facilities for future growth through various adaptive reuse schemes. The comprehensive space planning articulated in 2017 resulted in a design that is inspiring, welcoming, spacious, modern, sustainable, and reflective of its community. Programming includes a lobby with café, market and gathering areas, theater and arts education center, preschool and parenting center, fitness and wellness center, community event space, rooftop recreation and gathering spaces. The complex programming is organized around a 7-story atrium created in the middle of the existing building. This symbolic “town square” floods the building with natural light, activating the “heart” of the complex while providing a comfortable place for community members to gather and socialize.
AT A GLANCE
Community Center, Preschool, and Parenting Center
Fitness and Wellness Center with Indoor and Outdoor Gymnasiums
Performance and Black Box Theaters
Community Events Space and Roof Terrace
SERVICES
Feasibility, Programming, Concept Studies, Masterplanning
Zoning
New Construction
Interior Design
HIGHLIGHTS
7-Story Central Atrium
Symbolic “Town Square”
Cutting Edge Cultural Destination
Lobby for Cafe, Market, and Gathering
GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
Founded in 1838 Green-Wood, a National Historic Landmark, was one of the first rural cemeteries in America. It is comprised of 478 spectacular acres of hills, valleys, glacial ponds, and paths, throughout which exists one of the largest outdoor collections of 19th- and 20th-century statuary and mausoleums. PBDW has been working with Green-Wood since 1995, completing multiple projects within a 20-year span. These projects included a mix of historic preservation and restoration work as well as 30,700 SF of new construction.
PBDW’s first project in 1995 was the restoration of the 1861 Richard Upjohn Gothic Revival entrance gates. This led to our revival of the 1911 Warren & Wetmore Chapel, which had sat unused for several decades, suffering from water infiltration. Our most recent restoration project was the slate and copper restoration at the Fort Hamilton Parkway Gatehouse.
Our design interventions at the cemetery were carefully and thoughtfully devised in order to meet the needs of the cemetery, which is both a landmark and a functioning burial place. Our first new construction project was the design of a columbarium built on a site between the Modern Chapel and the Historic Warren & Wetmore Chapel. Tranquility Garden is a series of pavilions in a horseshoe configuration inside an existing field of in-ground burial urns enclosing an inner reflecting pool. As we designed the columbarium we were asked to envision a mausoleum set into a steep hill at the far side of the cemetery. The Hillside Mausoleum is a design of stone-clad blocks, joined by airy, glazed atriums that link the surrounding landscape to the structure. We doubled the Modern Chapel, designing a much-needed new crematory, chapel and columbarium.
COOKE SCHOOL & INSTITUTE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Cooke School & Institute is an organization committed to providing academic programs, therapy, support, and life skills services to students with special needs in grades K-12, as well as young adults ages 18-21. In combining the grammar and high schools, PBDW was faced with the challenge of creating a design that would serve a diverse age range within a single facility. Additionally, a deed restriction limiting the building height, plus a tight budget, led PBDW to look at both space and cost-efficient design solutions to address the client’s complex program requirements.
Larger shared spaces, along with administrative areas, are located on the lower floors of the building. The upper three floors are divided in half, creating separate vertical campuses for both the grammar and high schools. Separate academic and specialty classrooms, therapy and counseling spaces, and stair towers for each school allow for the controlled separation of the youngest and oldest students. Classrooms are positioned to take advantage of daylight, and each has its own break-out room within the space where therapists or teachers can work with individuals or small groups as needed throughout the day.
AT A GLANCE
Special Needs School
New Construction
SERVICES
Programming
Architectural and Interior Design
HIGHLIGHTS
Classrooms
Gymnasium
Therapy and Counseling Spaces
Play Roof
Daily Living Labs
2022 American Architecture Award, The Chicago Athenaeum
2022 Architizer A+ Awards, Special Mention in the Architecture + Color category
2022 Vanceva® World of Color Awards, Honorable Mention
RIVERDALE COUNTRY SCHOOL
BRONX, NEW YORK
Riverdale Country School is a pre-K through 12th grade independent school sitting upon 19.5 hilly acres and serving 1,170 students. PBDW was commissioned to re-organize the Hill Campus’s existing Marc A. Zambetti Athletic Center, design a new Aquatic Center, and maximize the functionality of the school’s existing Student Center. We initially explored the possibilities of these and other design improvements through a master planning exercise. These explorations expanded the program to include a new elevator, internal stair connections, and reconfigured lobbies for both the Student Center and the Varsity Gym.
Our design for the new façade of the Zambetti building introduced formal and material enhancements which informed our treatment and design of the new Aquatic Center. We carefully considered the relationship of the existing Zambetti building to the intended site of the PBDW-designed Aquatic Center and chose to unify these expressions, strengthening their architectural dialogue and solidifying their presence on the hillside overlooking the Frank J. Bertino Memorial Field. The result is cohesive zone for athletics on the campus.
AT A GLANCE
New Construction (Aquatic Center)
Renovation (Zambetti and Student Center)
Hillside Construction
LEED Silver Certified (Aquatic Center)
SERVICES
Programming
Feasibility Study
Adaptive Reuse (Zambetti Training Gym)
Accessibility
HIGHLIGHTS
Competition Swimming Pool
Varsity Gym with All-School Assembly Seating
Façade Replacement (Zambetti Center)
Elevator Insertion (Zambetti Center)
Glass Media/Conference Room (Zambetti Center)
WILLIAMS COLLEGE FELLOWS HALL
WILLIAMSTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS
Set against a dramatic backdrop of the beautiful Berkshire mountains, Fellows Hall, which serves the graduate Center for Development Economics (CDE) program, is the first Net-Zero energy dormitory at Williams College. PBDW’s design for the carbonneutral dorm centers around student wellness.
Fellows Hall shares a prominent site with the academic home of the CDE, an iconic 1884 Stanford White-designed landmark. The residence hall takes its formal and material cues from the historic building’s angular geometry, narrow slot windows and light-colored masonry. The dorm’s angled wings define a landscaped courtyard between the two buildings, creating a CDE mini-campus that encourages social interaction, provides a direct connection with the site’s ecological beauty and is a new shared asset for the entire Williams community.
Large, triple -glazed bedroom windows maximize daylight and views of the stunning site, including raingardens for storm water management. Inviting double-height lounges layered around the circulation core encourage informal interaction.
AT A GLANCE
Net-Zero Energy/Passive House Envelope
New Construction
30-Bed Graduate Residence
New Quad and Mini-Campus
All Electric Building
SERVICES
Programming
Sustainability
Site Design
Architectural Design
HIGHLIGHTS
Private Bedrooms with Shared Bath for Two
Geo-Thermal Wells and Solar Panels
2022 Green Good Design Awards
2021 Architizer A+ Awards Popular Choice Winner in Architecture + Sustainability
2021 Institutional Honor Award, CTGBC Green Buildings Awards Program
SUSTAINABILITY AT WILLIAMS
PARK LANE HOTEL
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Originally completed in 1971, the hotel, designed by Emory Roth & Sons for the prominent NYC developer Harry Helmsley, was considered a modern addition to the luxury hotel district along Central Park South. PBDW was hired as the architect for the complete interior renovation of the existing 630 guestrooms along with all the public amenity spaces.
The existing concessions at the ground floor lobby were transformed into a breakfast bar and evening cocktail area. The original reception area with offices was completely opened to make room for a concierge desk and a more welcoming front desk experience. The second-floor amenity offerings and event spaces were re-designed and a generous access to a previously unused roof terrace from the main ballroom was created for more public outdoor space.
A rooftop pool room, previously connected to the private Helmsley penthouse apartment, was transformed into a public bar/lounge with an outdoor terrace overlooking Central Park. An ADA-compliant elevator and new egress stair created the possibility for these spaces to be publicly accessible.
All the guestrooms, including two Presidential Suites on the top two floors, were renovated and some guestrooms were combined to increase the number of suite types throughout the building.
AT A GLANCE
Hospitality
Food and beverage
SERVICES
Interior renovation and alteration
Phased regulatory filings and approvals
HIGHLIGHTS
630 guestroom renovation and combination
Improved reception and lobby experience
Renovated public amenity spaces
Full ADA compliance throughout the building
2022 AHEAD Americas, Winner in the Hotel Renovation & Restoration category
BROADWAY + 110
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
PBDW was given the opportunity to design a high-end residential condominium building in Morningside Heights on the corner of Broadway and 110th Street. The client sought a compelling façade design within the constraints of an as-of-right zoning envelope that would accommodate residential, retail, and parking garage functions at ground level. One of the key challenges was the shallow and substandard lot depth. The project also posed geotechnical challenges, requiring deep rock excavation for the parking garage immediately adjacent to the Broadway subway station and tunnel.
What emerged from these constraints was a condominium complex that introduced 98 new dwelling units into a sunny corner with views of Riverside Park and the Hudson River. Our design embraced the as-of-right zoning form using a precast concrete expression on the lower levels and curtainwall expression on the set back upper levels. The design is knitted together using concrete balconies on the curtainwall areas and window-wall and other metal details in the precast concrete areas.
AT A GLANCE
New Construction
Multi-Family Residential
Ground-Floor Retail
SERVICES
Architectural Design
Interior Design
Zoning Analysis
NYC Zoning and Building Approvals
Fast-Track Delivery
HIGHLIGHTS
98 Condominium Units
Subgrade Levels for Retail and Parking
Founded in 1965, PBDW Architects provides creative, sensitive, and innovative responses to a wide range of institutional, commercial, and residential design challenges. We are a collegial practice of partners, associates and staff who consistently deliver evocative designs that enrich their contexts and satisfy our clients’ objectives.
Firm Culture
We believe in fostering the growth of the “whole architect” in our practice. PBDW’s size and mix of projects exposes our staff to all aspects of design and construction. Expertise is cultivated through an open exchange of knowledge and further participation in focus groups for various topics such as material research, sustainability, and technology. This interchange underlies an informed curiosity about new design possibilities.
Client-Centered Practice
We consider ourselves to be our clients’ partners. The needs of our clients define the project. Throughout the project we listen, learn, and adapt as required to develop our client’s goals and realize their vision. We maintain a continuous and close collaboration with our clients and provide a consistent project team from start to finish to strengthen the relationships that define a successful partnership.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
We have made significant strides toward creating a more equitable, inclusive, and ultimately diverse practice, based on priorities aligned with our 2021 DEI Strategic Plan. In addition to internal staff-led DEI work groups on topics of design, process, learning, mentoring, and wellness, PBDW’s staff serve on non-profit boards and teach at various architecture schools in NYC. Our staff also mentor, write articles, and give lectures, engaging the firm in constant dialogue with others in intersecting fields and keeping the firm in the forefront of knowledge sharing and innovation.
Sustainability
A central part of PBDW’s work ethos is the commitment to developing environmentally responsible projects. PBDW is a signatory to the AIA 2030 Commitment, fostering energy performance improvements as we work towards a goal of carbon-neutral buildings by 2030. We strive to specify environmentally friendly materials as much as possible and take special pride in working on restoration and adaptive reuse projects, valuing the embodied carbon footprint of existing buildings along with their intrinsic historic value.
Award Winning Architecture
AIA New York Chapter Design Award
Powerhouse Arts
The New 42nd Street Studios
Saginaw Art Museum
New-York Historical Society
Cooper Union, Foundation Building
AIA New York State Design Award
Powerhouse Arts
The New 42nd Street Studios
Reece School
Dana Discovery Center
Cooper Union, Foundation Building
AIA National Honor Award
AIA/CAE: Educational Facility Design Award
AIA Michigan Design Award
NY Landmarks Conservancy, Lucy G. Moses Award
SARA NY, Design Award
MASterworks Award, Urban Amenity
OHNY, Open Cities Award
The Chicago Athenaeum: American Architecture Award
Preservation League of NYS: 2021
Pillar of New York State
Architizer A+ Awards, Popular Choice
Architecture + Sustainability
Architizer A+ Awards, Finalist
Architecture + Stone
CTGreen Building Council Award
The New 42nd Street Studios
LearningSpring School
Saginaw Art Museum
Powerhouse Arts 1 West 123rd Street
Powerhouse Arts
Powerhouse Arts
Powerhouse Arts
Moise Safra Community Center
Cooke School & Institute
Saginaw Art Museum
Reece School
Moise Safra Community Center
Firm Award, PBDW Architects
Williams College, Fellows Hall
Moise Safra Community Center
Williams College, Fellows Hall
Selected Clients
14th Street Y
462 Broadway
Archdiocese of New York
Central Synagogue
Cooke School & Institute
Columbia Grammar & Prep School
Educational Alliance
Fordham University
Green-Wood
Hotel Beacon
LearningSpring School
Marymount School
Moise Safra Center
New-York Historical Society
Non-profit Music Conservatory
Park Avenue Armory
Park Lane Hotel
Poly Prep
Powerhouse Arts
Regis High School
Riverdale Country School
Saginaw Art Museum
Spence School
Saint David’s School
St. Joseph’s Seminary
Vassar College
Williams College
Powerhouse Arts
Cooke School & Institute
Moise Safra Center