The American Physical Society selected us to renovate and expand their Editorial Headquarters in Ridge, New York. The site is in the Long Island Pine Barrens Preservation area which precluded expanding the building’s foot print. This meant that the addition to the building would have to occur above the existing structure, yet it was essential to APS to maintain the operation of their facility while the work was carried out. In response to this we designed the building around limiting impact to the existing spaces and taking full advantage of the ground floor which needed to be rebuilt by locating large programs such as conference room and atrium which could not be accommodated within the existing structural module.

Circulation inside the building is organized around informal meeting spaces to create opportunities for human interaction to compliment APS’s automated electronic work place. The glossy computer display’s APS prefers drove careful control of natural and artificial lighting throughout which will result in more comfortable working conditions as well as reduced operating costs.

The building’s exterior highlights APS’s original building with new stainless steel cladding and softens the larger two story mass which encompasses the new addition with a screen of native vines. This screen also mitigates solar heat gain from the building’s west façade. Rain gardens created within the parking lot and expanded green space reduce storm water run-off and integrate the building with its surroundings.