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Canvas Space

North Manhattan / 2010

Canvas Space is a facility that addresses both the local and international arts communities by operating simultaneously at a variety of scales. Artists are invited to use anything on-site, from small gallery spaces and outdoor plazas to the building facade and bridge itself in order to display their work. Meanwhile, the large flexible areas within the complex allow it to adapt to the current needs of the occupant, providing space that is truly a blank canvas.

At either end of the bridge, community gallery spaces reach out into the urban fabric to draw local visitors into the site and direct circulation along a primary path. This public promenade acts as the main artery of the site, cutting through program/structure and making passers-by aware of the art that is being created around them. The main building on the Harlem side houses studio space for a variety of artists and mediums as well as arts advisors and teachers. Contained within the facility is a large out door plaza with a cafe, library, multi-use auditorium and gallery space that can slowly expand and spill out onto the bridge in warmer months.

At the center of the project is the bridge itself. The space joining the Bronx and Harlem art facilities and pavilions is considered a blank canvas, offering artists the chance to create large-scale experiential exhibits in an incredibly bold location. These seasonal installations will be visible for miles in either direction and will inherently draw a national and international audience.

Canvas Space lives and breathes with its occupants, providing them with the space and tools necessary for art to not only be present, but to thrive in the
surrounding community.

A collaboration with Maynard León for the HB:BX Competition.