NYU Wilf Hall
50,000 square feet
6 stories
New York, New York
2010
This new academic building for the NYU School of Law incorporates a preserved theater into its façade. To better fit the scale of Greenwich Village, the structure was designed to resemble four brick townhouses.
Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, this new six-story structure for the New York University School of Law provides office and workspace for more than a dozen academic programs while respecting the character and cultural legacy of the historic neighborhood. Recalling the original 1830s brownstones that once occupied the site, Wilf Hall’s brick façade is divided into rowhouse-sized bays by three narrow “slot” windows.
The building’s southern bay incorporates the renown Provincetown Playhouse, which has been respectfully restored and upgraded to ensure its legacy continues. The theater’s original brick detailing continues into the new structure to help mitigate the building’s scale and further anchor it to the neighborhood.
Set back to maintain the existing cornice line, Wilf Hall’s penthouse is covered by a green roof. However, the building’s most significant sustainable feature is its façade, which is composed of bricks made using recycled materials.
Breaking up the long wall surface adds visual richness, but it also signals the theater’s historical presence.
As the first education building in New York to earn LEED Platinum certification, Wilf Hall exemplifies NYU’s committed to “green growth” and their promotion of sustainable development.
Awards
- Excellence in Design Award, International Facility Management Association - 2013
Image Credits
- Matthew Williams
- Jimi Billingsley
