nARCHITECTS’ design of a 6,000-square-foot arts education and research space in Manhattan’s Chelsea for the Joan Mitchell Foundation celebrates the legacy of the American artist Joan Mitchell and “expands her vision to support the aspirations and development of diverse contemporary artists.” The Foundation works “to broaden the recognition of artists and their essential contributions to community and society.”

The renovation occupies the second floor of a former New York Public Library for the blind – an unexpected history for an organization dedicated to the visual arts. A central “Active Void” is equipped with four pairs of rotating wall panels, allowing the foundation to flexibly reconfigure the space for a variety of needs: a gallery, an auditorium for 80 people, smaller teaching spaces, or an open loft-like space, among others.

Client: Joan Mitchell Foundation
Location: New York, NY
Status: Completed
Dates: 2012 – 2014
Sq Footage: 6,000sf
Program: Arts education, archive, events, offices

Design Team: Eric Bunge, Mimi Hoang | Cheryl Baxter, Daniel Katebini-Stengel | Gabrielle Marcoux, Amanda Morgan, Alex Tseng

Collaborators: MEP Engineers: Ettinger Associates | Lighting Consultant: Davis Mackiernan | Contractor: Northeast Contracting | Veyko (rotating panels) | Peter Iwan Custom Cabinetry Inc. (wall panels and millwork) | Owner’s Rep: Timothy Dumbleton

Photography: Frank Oudeman