Richmond Terrace Community Center

The project is the renovation and addition for the community center building in Richmond Terrace, Staten Island. The design began with an ethereal thought of contrast: free flowing light-filled spaces, protected from a rough context, a dynamic beacon- amidst the housing project. Modular units, with thick storage walls arranged on a radial grid lines, define the space and addition. These thick elements contrast with the lightness and transparency of the interior movable glass walls. The new glass façade runs parallel to the interior movable glass walls and the layers of glass draw natural light deep into the center. “…We could really open up the space to the grounds and to the nature said Lorenzo Pagnamenta of Pagnamenta Torriani, the designers.” David Dunlap, NY Times Although the client did not request LEED certification, the team designed the project to strict sustainable guidelines, such as abundant natural light, materials with recycled content and low VOC for all finishes.