Partners: Nicole Kotsis, Byeongil Lee, Ping Pai, Ming Norman Tsui

This design problem was first conceived as a speculative loft, intended to provide open commerical space for artisan workshops. The requirements of the building design was to create a 7 storey loft building with a 70ft x 280 ft rectangular footprint. Other requirements included a skeletal frame of reinforced concrete or steel, designing of the building envelope, as well as mechanical systems.

Our team decided on creating a dance academy located in the Bronx. The design concept was to produce an inviting and open space for the community, showcasing dance and the performing arts, the studio spaces were cantilevered and protruded out of the facade in order to give the "center-stage" appearance.

The various cantilevered dance studios created unique structural challenges. Multiple truss systems were required in order to support the fully cantilevered studios. Vision glass curtain walls along with glass fins for support were used for the dance studios to create a more transparent appearance. The studios also required unique sprang floor systems. Heat pipes and insulation ran underneath the flooring and above the structural system.

The 47ft cantilever on the east side of the building created an unique challenge for our team. The cantilever contains 2 double height dance studios, a library in between the studio spaces and a restaurant above. Above each double height space is a truss system that ties 106ft back into the building.

The glazing of the studios is a glass fin system to create the transparency our design intent calls for. The top of the "glass box" is also transparent utilizing additional horizontal glass fins. The glass is tilted to allow water to flow back into the gutter.