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client: Urban Outfitters
employer: MSR Design (formerly MS&R, Ltd) Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle
role: Project Architect | Designer | BIM
year: 2009
renderings: mrlw
images: Lara Swimmer + various sources
awards:
I was hired at MS&R at the tail end of the Phase I Navy Yard development, and had only tertiary involvement with the Phase I project in 2006. When the Free People Brand started outgrowing their space, and Anthropologie was expanding – I was brought in at the front end and I couldn’t have been more excited.
We began with fit plans with other vacant structures in the area, demarcated by their Navy Assigned building number to help guide the master plan, and make the decision on which buildings would be the next to be developed. Building 14 was selected, but didn’t have the adequate square footage to grow into. Building 25 was selected for the Free People brand, with Anthropologie to relocate in Building 18.
Given the scope of the overall project, the team elected to tackle them one at a time, beginning with Building 25 & 41.
The facility began its life as a foundry and copper smithing shop. As it evolved over the years, it would continue on the path of welding and metal fabrication. 107 years later, it was to be transformed to house a different kind of making, after being left vacant in a state of disrepair for years.
Since this was a military facility, we were lucky enough to have access to an archive of a step-by-step history of the building. On some of these buildings, right down to roof repairs.
To historically preserve the project, this same level of documentation was necessary. custom schedules were developed for the exterior envelope down to the individual lite, and critical masonry repair areas.
In the previous portion of the campus – a design language emerged, as well as a familiar team of contractors, vendors and engineers with knowledge of the client’s specific design language.
The aesthetic of raw materials, found objects and sense of history is carried forward in Building 25. Anything that could remain, did. Existing finishes and remnants of the historic past were folded into the campus to develop an homage to the place, and add to its story rather than demo & replace. As an example – even an old fireman shed located near Building 18 was repurposed as a screen for the site transformer.
The complete scope of the project, with additional information can be found at MSRs website here and on ArchDaily here.
For me, there’s something special about using materials that are true to their nature. Clear-coated steel, warm wood and glass all meeting in an historic space left unfinished is something special in this day and age when you contrast that with painted foam brick, and adhered wood grain over aluminum extrusions.
With some client-sanctioned urban exploring – we began wandering the abandoned building that we were to renovate.
Multiple site visits and documentation, coupled with cloud scanning and existing conditions documentation all provided the necessary detail to renovate this building while preserving the historic nature of the campus.
The perils of point cloud scanning presented themselves during documentation, and I learned of the potential for mistakes in the technology. These were rectified with a few field measurements and leveraged trust in 1900s craftsmanship over new millennium technology.
One of the important principles of the campus is the reuse of existing infrastructure. In this case, it proved to be the interior mezzanines and the multiple approaches to removing the existing freight elevators at either end of the building, leaving an opportunity for a remnant for reuse.
The 2 story, 54,000 SF facility provides room for expansion, display spaces, store mockup spaces, and a well lit collaborative design environment. The freight elevators that were removed gave opportunities in the main lobby and vertical circulation areas additional character and ‘ruins’ to remain in place to pay homage to the original facility.
When you visit the campus, there a few design elements that stand out.
Entries are celebrated with a common language, although each is different by location.
Vertical Circulation is another celebration of design and marriage of wood and steel. Variations by building and location, but the grand staircase is indeed grand in each one of the buildings.
Spatial edges are defined, although treated delicately or completely transparently
The entire space is flooded with daylight.
The organization of elements is done specifically with purpose. Designed + Placed, rather than working around uncoordinated items. Everything has an artful purpose. The spirit of that aligns with the 1900s shell that houses it.
The entrance to this building is where all aspects of the design collide. Sculptural stair, Seating, Exposed Structure, Remnants/Ruins of the original freight elevator, repurposed as a bridge and garden, and a custom steel fabricated vestibule, delicately infilled with glass.
In a collaborative design environment, with pin-ups, discussions in a wear-able medium, its important to have break-out spaces that can accommodate a wide variety of design sessions.
As a fundamental portion of the Urban Outfitters experience, special care, and multiple options were explored for the vertical circulation for the new facility.
In the spirit of designing everything, the campus-wide work stations were bespoke systems, as well as all of the casework, display modules and screen walls used in the collaboration spaces.
During the design of this facility, the workstation system was redesigned to fit with the Free People brand aesthetic.
Additionally, we got to design the bespoke storage systems and carts that the company uses.
Designing for designers is fertile ground for creative exploration & problem solving once a common language is established.
During the course of this project, that language became what they referred to as ‘tears’. Essentially what everyone else refers to as ‘mood boards’ now. In 2008 – that wasn’t nearly as prevalent as it is now.
This, was my first Revit project – and going back thru the model to produce these images was a great look at where it all started. I went to level 1 3-day training with the rest of the staff, and then was sent back for a 2-day Revit Family advanced course… The training landed. Each of these families are parametric, composed of sub-components, and numerous other features that I create out of habit now.
Millwork was done as typicals much the same way that any repetitive item should be, and there are components that I made for this project that I still use. Rolling shutters on residential projects? It’s the same screen panel with modifications.
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