Format Architecture Office, the New York-based architecture and design studio, is pleased to announce the completion of an extraordinary renovation project for Leica, the celebrated premium manufacturer of cameras and sports optics. Located in the heart of the Meatpacking District in New York City, the new store and gallery space opened in January 2024, with its official grand opening taking place on March 14, 2024.

As a former 1950's meat market, the original building was unremarkable and had fallen into disrepair due to years of neglect. At just two stories in height and with a modest street frontage under 20', the building is also one of the smallest remaining buildings and a rare exception to the neighborhood's upscaling trend.

The ensuing gut renovation expanded the store's footprint to an impressive 4,000 square feet while retaining the original timber-framed ceiling, serving as a reminder of the building's storied past. The second-floor plate was cut back to create a sizable double-height mezzanine at the front of the space, and a series of new skylights were installed to provide dramatic natural light throughout the first floor. At the rear of the second level, a new steel bifold glass door opens onto a 1,000-square-foot outdoor terrace. 

Format also designed the new front facade to include a steel and glass storefront and entrance, connecting the building to its industrial past and opening up the street level for retail visibility and access to natural light. 

The most striking design feature is above the storefront, a bold brick screen volume and banded frame, offering a modern interpretation of the decorative brickwork reliefs found throughout the district. The screen also serves the dual function of creating dramatic light play inside the building during the day and a mottled projection of light and activity out to the street during the evening. The facade's integrated lighting system adds another layer of dynamism to the design, allowing for customizable illumination that enhances the building's presence from the street.

Utilizing brick for its complex design had its challenges. "Balancing structural integrity while still appearing as delicate as possible required meticulous planning and collaboration with engineering and construction teams," says Andrew McGee, principal and co-founder of Format. "The balance between simple and complex can quickly lurch into banal or complicated, and the whole composition falls apart. Keeping this dial at the right level was our charge for the project."

As a landmarked project, Format also navigated the delicate balance between honoring the building's history and introducing innovative architectural elements. "A big challenge on any landmarked project is acknowledging and respecting the history of the building and neighborhood while also finding a place within that for something new or innovative," says Matthew Hettler, principal and co-founder of Format. "To overcome this, we worked from early on with community board members and the Landmarks Preservation Commission staff to make sure that the story we wanted to tell about the building and its new chapter did not feel incongruous with its past."  

The completion of the Leica Store & Gallery celebrates both the history and future of the Meatpacking District. Format's design embraces the neighborhood's uniqueness by paying homage to the building's industrial past while introducing modern elements that augment its presence on the block.

For more information about Format and their projects, visit format.nyc..