VAN ALEN INSTITUTE GROUND/WORK STREET FLOOR SPACE, NEW YORK CITY, USA

We would like to invite people to VAI’s Living Room at 22nd Street and Make yourself at home.This brand-new “living room“ mainly focuses on cozy, functional, practical, durable, green and low-cost spaces, because it is an institute as well as home for fellows, members, participants and audiences of public architecture and civic life.

WHAT WE DO TO THE “LIVING ROOM“
– Re-organize circulation flows
– Consider possibilities for future developments and program changes
– Re-connect office and store/gallery space – Provide accessible design for both ground floor and cellar plan
– Make discussion area easy to convert into audience space for dialogues, new releases in books, exhibition debuts and lecture use anytime

PROGRAM

We are maximizing program, uses and flexibilities. We provide:
– A storefront bookstore with movable shelves
– Full height exhibition space and extended cellar gallery/workshop
– A “Runway” ,framed by lightweight and movable bookshelves and outlined by floor
-recessed linear lighting fixtures and down lights, connects all ground floor area as well as brings the back gallery space to the front
– A mini-theater/semi-private media room
– of course, every living room comes with an additional media/entertainment space!
– A group discussion corner/ lecture area/dialogue podium
– A loft space with additional sitting area and ceiling bookshelves
– yes, we open up every piece of Living Room!
– A gallery-linked office space
– Sufficient and classified storages and closets – Accessible everywhere

FEATURES

We are taking advantage of the north oriented “tunnel” space:
– Keep ceiling and floor as free as possible, invite lightweight book hanger units – Channel in/bring in natural lights and effectively utilize artificial lighting
– Mirror and contain lights indoors, especially concave mirror to collect lights for stairs to cellar

ENGAGEING WITH STREET LIFE
– “Runway” – easy to catch pedestrian’s eyes and interact with passersby
– bookstore customers/audience are framed on the runway when they are walking, standing, browsing books, exhibitions, listening to lectures
– Invite perspective illusion to zoom in gallery space to the front, keep gallery space as storefront as bookstore
– Open shelf books oriented towards street view

OTHER BENIFITS
– Eco-friendly and low cost material
– Durable stainless steel tread plate sheets are used to protect floors of “Runway” and stairs
– Invite charred recycled wood floor for major bookstore and gallery space
– Express white painted/sprayed ducts and pipelines and make Full height ceiling open, lighter, brighter, easier for cleaning and maintenance.