{"id":292074,"date":"2026-02-12T18:35:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T09:35:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/?p=292074"},"modified":"2026-02-12T18:35:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T09:36:39","slug":"shakespeare-gordon-studio-city-tech-pearl-building-brooklyn-adaptive-reuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/architect\/shakespeare-gordon-studio-city-tech-pearl-building-brooklyn-adaptive-reuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Architectural Firm Shakespeare Gordon Studio Revitalizes Historic Academic Facility in Brooklyn | City Tech Pearl Building"},"content":{"rendered":"

Adaptive Reuse Renovation of an Existing Building at New York City College of Technology<\/h3>\r\n

N<\/span>ew York City College of Technology, commonly known as City Tech, is located in the Brooklyn Tech Triangle in Brooklyn, United States. Shakespeare Gordon Studio (SGS)<\/a> completed a full renovation of the Pearl Building<\/a> on the City Tech campus. The project is an adaptive reuse initiative aimed at reorganizing and upgrading an aging academic facility. Situated within what is described as the largest innovation cluster outside of Manhattan, the redevelopment of campus facilities forms part of the broader evolution of the surrounding urban environment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"adf-web-magazine-city-tech-pearl-building-8\"<\/a>

Color-matched acoustic panels soften and screen the Pearl Building\u2019s lofty concrete ceilings and contribute to the distinct design identity of each office suite.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

The 350,000-square-foot New Academic Complex was completed in 2019 and serves as the academic centerpiece of the campus. Across Jay Street, older facilities that had experienced years of overcrowding became partially vacant and required renovation. SGS focused on reimagining the historic Pearl Building as a contemporary and functional academic environment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Playful lighting design and vibrant yellow walls and ceilings enliven this interior corridor.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

Constructed in 1922 as a munitions factory, the six-story building was repurposed for academic use in the 1940s. Its expansive floor plates, high ceilings, robust concrete frame, large windows, and substantial structural columns reflect its industrial origins. More than a century old, the building required comprehensive infrastructure upgrades to support advanced scientific and technological education while preserving its architectural character. SGS developed a master plan that included layout studies, test fits, cost estimates, and a detailed assessment of existing conditions. This process led to the renovation of the 17,000-square-foot third floor. Previously occupied by a mix of laboratories, offices, and ancillary spaces, the floor now accommodates four administrative office units, a shared conference suite, and support spaces. A central corridor connects each unit and establishes a clear circulation spine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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\r\nThe design includes a material and color palette that is customized for each administrative entity\u2019s suite, providing a sense of identity and wayfinding for all users.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>

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The 3rd floor\u2019s central spine connects offices across the Pearl Building\u2019s large floor plate.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>

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Colors established within suites extend outward into the hallway, inviting users into the space and assisting with wayfinding across the large floorplate.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

The experience of the third floor begins at the elevator lobby, where a vibrant yellow finish extends across walls, ceilings, and exposed structural columns. The structural system, a remnant of the building\u2019s industrial past, is expressed as a defining architectural element. Integrated lighting and bold color application introduce brightness into what was previously a dark corner of the building. Green, blue, orange, and purple distinguish the individual administrative suites along the central corridor. Each suite\u2019s interior color palette extends into the corridor flooring, introducing visual depth and directional clarity within the rectilinear layout. The color strategy supports wayfinding throughout the floor.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Within each suite, a grid of familiar columns punctuates the open space, serving as a distinctive aesthetic feature that defines the identity of the third floor.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>

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Within the office suites, a mix of workspaces creates a flexible environment that accommodates a range of uses.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>

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Existing structural columns are integrated seamlessly into the design of each suite.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

The expansive floor plates allow workspaces to remain closely connected to natural light and views of the city. Concrete curtain walls along the perimeter provide large windows that distribute daylight throughout the suites. A combination of private offices and open-plan areas supports flexibility for future programmatic changes. The regular grid of structural columns establishes a consistent spatial rhythm across the floor. Color-coded acoustic ceiling panels reinforce each suite\u2019s identity while improving acoustic performance. A shared conference room is located at the end of the corridor, alongside expanded ADA-accessible restrooms. The renovation included hazardous material abatement related to former laboratory use, installation of new building systems, and updated AV and IT infrastructure. In addition to architectural services, SGS provided furniture, lighting, and graphic design.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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At the end of the central spine, a large conference suite with expansive windows and vibrant yellow detailing serves as a shared space for occupants on the 3rd floor.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>

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Inside the suites, the plan makes the best use of the building\u2019s expansive floor plate while ensuring that occupants are never far from views, natural light, and a relationship to the city beyond.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>

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A mix of shared, semi-private, and private workspaces accommodate a variety of uses.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

The project demonstrates the potential inherent in historic structures. A previously fragmented and overcrowded floor has been transformed into a bright and contemporary academic environment. The former factory\u2019s open floor plates and exposed structure have been reinterpreted as defining architectural assets rather than constraints. As the Brooklyn Tech Triangle continues to expand, the adaptive reuse of existing building stock remains a significant strategy in shaping the built environment. This project illustrates the continued relevance of historic structures within a growing innovation district.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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The renovation opened up the floor plan, allowing light from the building\u2019s expansive windows to penetrate deep into the floor plate.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>

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The renovation enhanced the 3rd floor bathrooms to meet ADA accessibility requirements, while introducing color and natural light.
\r\nPhoto credit: Alexander Severin<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

About Shakespeare Gordon Studio<\/h4>\r\n

Shakespeare Gordon Studio is a New York City\u2013based architectural firm and a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Founded by Amy Shakespeare in 2003, the firm welcomed Mark Gordon as Principal in 2016. Formerly known as SGVA, the practice has completed a wide range of projects including affordable housing, offices, clinics, university facilities, research laboratories, and residential developments. The studio\u2019s work spans feasibility studies, partial and full building renovations, and new ground-up construction.<\/p><\/article>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Adaptive Reuse Renovation of an Existing Building at New York City College of Technology ew York City College […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":292023,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"\u5efa\u7bc9\u8a2d\u8a08\u4e8b\u52d9\u6240Shakespeare Gordon Studio\u304c\u30d6\u30eb\u30c3\u30af\u30ea\u30f3\u306e\u6b74\u53f2\u7684\u5b66\u8853\u65bd\u8a2d\u300c \u30b7\u30c6\u30a3\u30c6\u30c3\u30af \u30d1\u30fc\u30eb\u30d3\u30eb\u30c7\u30a3\u30f3\u30b0 \u300d\u3092\u518d\u751f \/ Architectural Firm Shakespeare Gordon Studio Revitalizes Historic Academic Facility in Brooklyn | City Tech Pearl Building #adf #npoadf #architecture #design #interior #ny","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[7],"tags":[38,42,72,83,110,138],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/adf-web-magazine-city-tech-pearl-building-8.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292074"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=292074"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292074\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/292023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=292074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=292074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adfwebmagazine.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=292074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}