Prior to HOLT's renovation of Rockefeller Hall, the fourth floor lay mostly vacant as an underutilized storage space. The attic-like, fourth story space contains a dramatic ceiling defined
by a double row of exposed, heavy timber columns. The design preserves and reinforces the timber structural elements, while enhancing the spatial quality by introducing skylights into the otherwise windowless garret. Round distribution ductwork runs exposed through the high space, and as a link with the past in this up-to-date environment, old opal glass light fixtures found in the attic were cleaned and reinstalled as drop-cord fixtures over conference tables and reception desks. The entire project transforms the mundane into the extraordinary, capturing previously unnoticed opportunities for adaptive new uses.
Awards:
Silver Citation, American School and University Educational Interiors Showcase
Award of Merit , American Institute of Architects, Southern New York
