New Lab
The New Lab at Building 128 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard is an 84,000 SF design and prototyping facility for the development of advanced technologies and new manufacturing techniques.
Exterior Facade
Restored envelope. Replacement insulated metal cladding and windows match historic configurations and profiles. ©David Sundberg/ESTO
Existing Conditions at Building 128
Initially constructed by the US Navy in 1899 as a machine shop for producing marine engines and components, the site was frequently modified, reconfigured, and expanded until the Navy abandoned the building and site in 1966.
photo ©John Bartelstone
Active use as a naval machine shop, 1915.
For the build-out of the New Lab carried out by Marvel Architects, both the building’s architectural attributes and the legacy of fabrication are taken into account. Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Archive.
Single story build-outs mimic the stacks of raw materials and fabrication stations that once lined the naval machine shop, framing a central corridor and the industrial doors at both ends of 350’ long building. ©David Sundberg/ESTO
The exterior corrugated steel envelope and steel industrial windows were severely deteriorated after decades of limited use. The existing interior is a single level slab with a single 4,000sf elevated mezzanine.
Construction
New second floor area greatly expanded the existing mezzanine, with upper mezzanines built into the overhead roof structure. 32,000sf of new floor area was constructed.
Circulation
The new upper walkway’s route and overlooks were intentional, as a means to orient and introduce visitors to the New Lab. Crossover bridges are suspended from the industrial gantries.
Circulation Walkway
A circulation walkway was constructed around the perimeter of the main space, connecting open workspaces at the building’s center and enclosed workspaces at the outer edges. ©David Sundberg/ESTO
Event Space
Placed on an outside corner of the building, the event space is visible from the main entrance to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and connects to the building’s interior central corridor. ©David Sundberg/ESTO
Flexibility of Use
Open areas at the main floor create opportunities for exhibits, project fabrication and events with connections inside and outside the building. Bridges carried by the original gantries create overlooks to open areas and access across the building.
Expansion & Flexibility Diagram
All individual tenants spaces at the outer perimeter of the building have daylighting and operable windows. ©David Sundberg/ESTO
A variety of open and enclosed workspaces and meeting areas are integrated throughout the interior.
©David Sundberg/ESTO
Rendered Section ©Macro Sea
1. Design Library
2. Enclosed Studio
3. Fabrication Lab
4. Project and Event Space
5. Conference Room
6. Institutional Studio
7. Enclosed Studio
8. Open Studio
Central Corridors
A linear central corridor extends between the original sliding industrial doors at each end of the building. ©David Sundberg/ESTO
Existing Structures
Existing building trusses and overhead material transport gantries remain clear and unaltered. New distribution systems consolidate behind existing primary beams at side aisles to avoid visual noise at the main ceiling structure. ©David Sundberg/ESTO
Entrance
The main entry passes through the industrial sliding doors. Smaller man-doors act as the dat-to-day entry. The main floor raised above the original working floor provides flood resiliency from the harbor and depth for radiant heating. ©David Sundberg/ESTO
Workspace
Interior spaces are divided between private work spaces for individual businesses and education tenants, shared work spaces, meeting rooms and a café ©David Sundberg/ESTO
- Year
- 2016
- Location
- Brooklyn, New York
- Client
- MacroSea/DBI
- Typology
- Workspace, Industrial, Tech
- Size
- 84,000 SF
- Design Team
- Jonathan Marvel, Scott Demel, Zachary Cohen, Elise DeChard, Eckart Graeve, Teo Quintana
- Consultants
- Engineering Group Associates (Structural Engineer) BD Engineering (MEP) Domingo Gonzalez Associates(Lighting Design) Macro Sea (Concept + Interior Design)
- Awards
- AIANY Design Merit Award for Architecture, Building Brooklyn Awards National Grid Award for Energy Efficiency, Architectural Record Good Design is Good Business
- Photography Credits
- © David Sundberg/ESTO
