Queens is the largest and most populous neighborhood in New York City.. Beginning in the 1920s, it experienced a huge demographic leap, as it was one of the city’s industrial areas. With the industrial transformation, many of these factories were rehabilitated, introducing new equipment to their residents.
One of these examples of rehabilitation was done by architecture studio Davies Toews Architecture, who overhauled a Old Textile Mill in RidgewoodQueens to turn it into a new commercial and artistic space for the city.
CodyWyckoff, a new commerce and arts space in Queens
New space has been called Cody WyckoffIt is located at the intersection of Cody and Wyckoff Streets. To rehabilitate it, the study took advantage of this industrial legacy, to direct the “smooth function of the property in a humane and light design”.
The original building plan has a U-shape, with an outside patio between the two units opening onto Wyckoff Street. Each suite consists of approximately 465 square meters of surface. They were built of stone blocks, but have been bleached for rehabilitation.
The two wings are connected through the central atrium, which is accessed from the yard. Its walls contain red metal grilles, designed by Davies Toews Architecture studio, the purpose of which is to close when the building is empty. However, its layout was designed to be central and connect the courtyard to the street.
Materials and industrial elements inside
The interior is accessed through two custom-made steel doors, reaching the full height of the facade. once inside, A full height glass wall greets visitors. The wall is located at the back of the courtyard and thus has been designed to create a separation between the courtyard and the lobby, as well as to provide more light for this central interior space.
The light becomes more visible thanks to the installation of a circular alcove Three meters in diameter. Its natural light penetrates the beams, which float above the ceiling, creating a great luster in the entrance hall.
The same sense of light is given through the rest of the spaces, the skylights of which have been reopened, which had been covered in previous repairs. The walls were painted white, enhancing the clarity and integrity of the interiors, and many spaces were intentionally left open to facilitate the versatility of use within.
In the central space, some bathrooms were also equipped, the design of which was inspired by the industrial aesthetics of the complex, demonstrating the sincerity of ducts and tubes. From the sanitary complex, a 7-meter washbasin made of masonry and extending across the entire space should be highlighted.
respect industrial space The original design is reflected in the following words from the study: “Exposed joists and concrete floors continue through the space to create a unified spatial language throughout the building, with clean geometry that complements the inherited materiality of the place.”
