A beautiful luxury of creating with KA is that we are forever discovering iconic, spectacular architecture and design . Buildings that collide with the clouds, and boast imaginative and almost dream like designs. The creative geniuses behind these hubs radically reinvent city skylines, and ignite neighbourhood with a new found sense of self. Of course, New York City is no stranger to wondrous works by architects; but we truly believe that 41 Cooper Square truly shines amidst a street lined with traditional brownstones.
This 150 year-old institution, a now new academic building for The Cooper Union, is the perfect amalgamation of old New York meets new wave architectural modernity. The building, designed by Thom Mayne from Morphosis, bears an entirely utopian intention that continues to remain faithful to Peter Cooper’s mantra, which is to provide an education “as free as water and air.” What’s most amazing, byond the breath-taking architecture – is that the Academic Building has achieved a LEED Platinum rating, the first for an institutional building in New York City. Inside the walls of this school boasts spectacular sights that are comparable to the vision from street view. With a staircase that ascends four stories, and melds into an enclosed student lounge that offers scenic city views, this is perhaps the ultimate arboretum of education.
The institution symbolically bears its soul to the city via visual transparencies from the street, which invite passerby’s to observe, and partake in this spectacular space. The façade has a way of toying with light, shadow and ocular transparencies. It boasts an exterior layer of perforated stainless steel that envelops the outer shell with its luminous crystalline properties. We invite you to explore every facet of this magical city, absorb the culture, and be mesmerized by a skyline that is as changing as it’s four seasons.
Story by Sarah Harris, KA MAGAZINE