New York University, StudentLink and Global Services Center

The renovation of the 1916 industrial loft building creates a flagship facility for student services and key support programs of New York University, most notably the Student Link and Global Programs functions on the main floors.

The spaces along the building’s perimeter are free of program to reinforce the historic shell as an envelope for new enclosed program areas and a distinctly new architectural language. This language extends to the furniture, including a 110-foot-long student services desk made of faceted white oak.

At the upper floors, enclosed spaces are pulled back from the restored exterior wall to maximize natural light, create an open plan and foster a collaborative working environment. The four-story addition to the east of the existing building draws upon the historic character and scale of the neighborhood, linking directly to the horizontal datums of the loft building to which it connects. A composition of glass-fiber-reinforced-concrete frames, wood windows and zinc panels form a facade with depth and detail that link the new addition to the residential character of East 4th Street.

The project establishes a unique architectural presence at the prominent street corner frontage and will create a connection back to the main campus located north and west of the building. Both the existing portions of the restored envelope and the new addition were reviewed and approved by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to confirm that the design met the requirements for a contributing building in the NOHO Historic District.