Newlab, a multidisciplinary tech center headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, is home to over 800 “entrepreneurs, engineers, and inventors, solving the world’s biggest challenges with leaders and experts across industries and cities, applying transformative technologies to things that matter.” The 155-and-counting companies are masters in a range of technology disciplines, including robotics, artificial intelligence, and materials science – “all applied to create solutions for pressing problems in public health, the environment, truth in media, our cities and infrastructure.”
Newlab as an organization is pretty dang cool. For more information regarding its members or studios, check out its website at http://www.newlab.com.
For its headquarters, Newlab tasked the New York-based creative studio CIVILIVN with designing an 84,000 square foot space at Building 128, a former shipbuilding facility in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. That workspace has been the hub and home to many good ideas since the company’s founding in 2016 – so good in fact, that they were in need of additional space right in Brooklyn.
Newlab’s building in the Navy Yard dates back to 1902, and the organization proudly touts the building’s history serving as the primary machine shop for every major ship launched during World Wars I and II. It’s a tough act to follow, but Newlab acquired a 30,000 square foot space at 77 Washington Avenue, a 1930s-era manufacturing building just a few blocks from Navy Yard headquarters. They tapped CIVILIVN to reimagine the new space into a cutting-edge work environment for engineers, entrepreneurs and inventors. The new site provides six floors of additional space for the burgeoning community.
The project stands out for its distinct Art Deco vibes, and to learn more about it, we spoke to architect Nicko Elliott, founder of CIVILIVN and former creative partner for the real estate development firm Macro Sea, which oversaw the initial headquarters project.
“Current members located at 77 Washington include founding member StrongArm Technologies,” project notes state. “Recently, Newlab and StrongArm partnered to pilot a program leveraging StrongArm’s sensor-based technology platform to bring Newlab staff and member companies back to work safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The design of 77 Washington maintains the original industrial character of the manufacturing building while reinventing it as a contemporary workspace. Conference rooms bisect the open floors, creating distinct zones that remain flexible enough to accommodate company growth. A mix of individual workstations, informal breakout areas, and private conference rooms supports both collaborative and focused, independent work.”
“They were interested in finding new ways of extending their brand in their environment,” said Elliott. “We tested a lot of elements to potentially prototype for other future locations. And so we moved beyond just New York fabrication, and put together a really thought-through collection of furnishings that spoke to the brand and also spoke to the building itself.”
“The headquarters is full of custom workstations that are beautiful but also quite costly to make, involving multiple vendors and many custom details. Providing a custom workstation is a part of the Newlab experience, and they wanted to offer that at 77 Washington, but in a more pared-down, simpler way. I’m really proud of the workstations we designed for this purpose. The way they can be grouped together to create different environments, the knock-down ability, and the details we chose to include are exactly what they were looking for.”
While Newlab’s HQ location provides for all levels of membership, including individuals, the new 77 Washington location was built for companies with multiple people.
Architecturally, the floorplate is split into two separate spaces that are conjoined by a conference room.
“The choice to bisect the open space was definitely the right move,” Elliott said. “Everybody instinctively enjoys wide open, airy spaces, but that concept is really contrary to what works best for the way people really work, and many activities they want to do in their workspaces.”
“The design of the ground level invites the energy of the neighborhood into the building to create a space where members can socialize and collaborate in an unstructured way,” read the project notes. “Large windows soften the boundaries between the interiors and the street, while the plan emphasizes the transitions between the lobby, lounge, conference area and private garden, resulting in a procession of distinct areas that remain interconnected with one another. A custom-designed reception desk made of aluminum laminate mounted on painted plywood tubes offers a contemporary element set against the building’s original floors, masonry walls, and exposed ceiling girders.”
The furnishings at 77 Washington are a signifier of the trust between Newlab and the team behind CIVILIVN. After an initial decision to design a Danish aesthetic, Newlab and CIVILIVN pivoted to an Art Deco concept that proved more interesting. Modern forms and shapes are found all across the workspace, but most pieces were initially made by small local makers.
“CIVILIVN refinished Art Deco-era pieces with highly durable materials, including Kvadrat/Raf Simons fabrics, creating a distinctive workspace that can be seamlessly tailored to companies’ specific operational needs. The desk line can stand alone as individual workstations or be grouped into team pods that read as a single, built-in architectural element. Throughout, pieces inspired by artists Donald Judd and Isamu Noguchi reference New York City’s creative heritage, resulting in an elevated environment that attracts leading start-ups. The understated forms of the furniture and natural colors of the finishes create an inviting, gallery-like space that complements the aesthetic of the Newlab headquarters.”
The workspace is also equipped with amenities supporting a diverse work cultures, including assembly areas, lounges, kitchenettes, private phone booths, and secure bike storage.
77 Washington is an intriguing workspace for a company that is in the business of placemaking. Engineering and Art Deco never looked so good.