370 Jay Street is the story of the transformation of an abandoned mid-century office building in downtown Brooklyn into NYU’s new hub for media, technology and the arts. The project involved groundbreaking sustainability initiatives that led to LEED Platinum certification, rising to the ranks of only four projects certified under LEED v.2009 Core and Shell in New York City. The project was also recognized with a 2019 AIANY Design Award of Honor in the Sustainability Category.

An 80 year old facade was re-imagined, re-engineered, and reused to create an inherently energy efficient solution. Through analysis of solar impact on the different faces of the building, the design team was able to determine optimized solar control deployment and desired shading. The result was the replacement of all windows with high-performance window glazing. To respond to the solar impacts, windows were recessed at varying depths as well to respond to the particular conditions. The result is a facade whose windows and sunshades ripple from south to north, high to low.

The decision to reuse 370 Jay was based on extensive studies of infrastructure options and their ability to accommodate multiple program uses. The final infrastructure design located all new mechanical equipment at the roof level with air supplied vertically at each shaft and offset to one side of the building so that unimpeded open space could be maximized. Public circulation was located adjacent to the shafts along the west side of the building. Corridors run between the shafts in an east-west direction to connect the public corridor to the program spaces and help bring natural light to all spaces.

The new flexible approach to the building is born out on the upper floors where a variety of spaces – recording studios, motion capture labs, computing, classrooms, auditoria, and offices – can all be accommodated. The programming and systems selection for the project will provide continued flexibility in the years to come as educational techniques and tenants continue to change.