Courtyard/Lobby Renovation
New School for Social Research
With Martin Puryear
and Michael Van Valkenburgh
New York, New York

Looking to improve it’s front-door image and the quality of an open-air, mid-block courtyard, the New School asked a Mitchell/Giurgola-led design team to re-invent the entry sequence of the School’s primary building. The solution knits the indoor and outdoor spaces together, physically and visually. A number of ramps were introduced, for both accessibility needs and as design elements. The courtyard is developed with a variety of plantings, informal seating and gathering spaces. Three "mortar and pestle" chairs made of stone, wood, and metal mesh – all designed by Martin Puryear – provide additional seating and another thread of continuity through the Project.