New York University
University Development & Alumni Relations
New York, NY

50,000 SF • LEED SILVER • WITH SPACESMITH

Davis Brody Bond was engaged by New York University to design a new home for their University Development and Alumni Relations division (UDAR). The five groups that make up the division had been dispersed across the NYU campus in outdated, ad hoc workplaces with no areas for collaboration, an essential part of their work. In order to consolidate, UDAR moved all groups to a 50,000 sf space located at 115 Fifth Avenue, requesting a space that would help improve the department’s daily interaction, processes, and productivity.

The goal of the design team is to accommodate the 180+ staff with various work modes onto one floor while providing the amenities needed for a successful, modern workplace. Our data-driven approach began with research (including on-line questionnaires, interviews, and visioning sessions with a cross-section of users) that determined the biggest needs to be areas for focused work and a variety of meeting spaces. In order to accomplish this, the design team (1) defined the ratio of offices to workstations required to meet the needs of each work mode; (2) supplemented work areas with a variety of open and closed meeting areas and nooks; (3) clustered the five groups into entities that provide brand identification and are flexible for staff growth; and (4) provided a central hub consisting of a 100-person meeting room with a retractable glass wall adjacent to a pantry and lounge that can serve as Town Hall meeting space for all staff.

Late in the process, NYU requested that the project achieve a LEED Silver rating. Fortunately, our team routinely specifies systems, materials, fixtures, and finishes with sustainability in mind, and were able to meet certification criteria easily, with the potential for LEED Gold.

(Photography by Paúl Rivera)