Imagining a new cultural space on Fifth Avenue.
Preserving and renewing old buildings is one of the most sustainable things architects and property owners can do. In 2020, Germany’s Federal Construction Agency organized an international design competition to refurbish 1014 Fifth Avenue. After an initial qualifying round, ten teams were invited to propose architectural solutions to refurbish the townhouse as a contemporary space for cultural and educational programs.
Each proposal, presented on a set of four boards, was required to accommodate: (1) a residency program and co-working areas; (2) community events, exhibitions, and meeting spaces; and (3) office spaces. The proposals were evaluated in 2021 by a jury of renowned architectural and cultural experts and government officials in Berlin, who awarded the highest ranking to the team led by David Chipperfield Architects. All ten of these finalist proposals address the challenges of adaptive reuse through a variety of contextually sensitive design interventions.