CONVERSION CASE STUDY

Proposal Team

Architect: ARCNOMA

Architectural rendering of a modern multi-story building with large glass balconies, surrounded by trees and greenery, with a person walking on a pathway.

Within the Chelsea neighborhood there has been a wave of development in Public Space, Social Infrastructure, and an influx of tourism to sites such as the High Line, the Whitney Museum and Little Island.

With this interest comes a need for rentable office space. However, within the overall city of New York there is a need for additional housing.

This project looks to bridge the gap between the two program types and establish a precedent for Office to Residential Conversions.

Diagram showing a plan for converting office spaces into residences, with sections labeled for office spaces, residences, museum, lobby/library/cafe, parking, and grade line, illustrating the transition from commercial to residential use.
Floor plan of the sixth floor showing office space on the left and residential units on the right, arranged in a circular layout with central staircases.

Analyzing the square footage on each floor, we itemized the requirements for each program and created base layouts for each case.

The office component of the project requires access to ADA restrooms and Both Private and Open Spaces.

The residential portion of the project requires additional Kitchen and Bathing Facilities.

Recognizing Residential Spaces require more permanent structures, we kept plumbing near a central core of ADA Restrooms for subfloor connections.

Floor plans for the twelfth floor showing an office layout on the left and residential layout on the right, with a circular arrangement of rooms and staircases in the center.

Since the volumes of the structure rotate on every floor, we have also adjusted the layouts to best fit.

Floor plan for the ninth floor, showing various ceiling types, lighting fixtures, and mechanical systems with a detailed legend.

In our ceiling plans we have included acoustical panels to mitigate high levels of sound and included acoustical ceilings to allow for quick replacement for when conversion is required.

We recognize the complexity in regards to Building Systems within modular volumes and have looked to be minimal in the amounts of mechanical ventilation required. The wood slat ceilings were detailed to include a wood screen system to minimize glare and heating of the interior. Operable Windows were also provided within the envelope to allow for natural ventilation.