PODCASTS > Arcat Detailed Podcast Episode
128: Building-in-a-building | The Refinery at Domino
37m 36s |
In this episode, Cherise is joined by Vishaan Chakrabarti, Founder and Creative Director at Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | PAU, in New York City. They discuss The Refinery at Domino in the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.
Once a powerful symbol of New York’s industrial past, the Domino Refinery has been reimagined for the 21st century. Designed by PAU Studio, the project integrates history with modernity, transforming the historic structure into a vibrant hub for work and community life. A contemporary glass-and-steel structure has been carefully nested within the original brick façade—a design concept likened to placing “a bottle in a ship.”
Once a powerful symbol of New York’s industrial past, the Domino Refinery has been reimagined for the 21st century. Designed by PAU Studio, the project integrates history with modernity, transforming the historic structure into a vibrant hub for work and community life. A contemporary glass-and-steel structure has been carefully nested within the original brick façade—a design concept likened to placing “a bottle in a ship.”
Click here for the extended length interview on YouTube
With over 30-years of proven experience authoring and implementing visionary urban architecture, Vishaan Chakrabarti is the Founder and Creative Director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | PAU, where he leads the firm's growing global portfolio of cultural, institutional, and public projects.
Vishaan is also the author of the book, A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America, and the upcoming The Architecture of Urbanity: Designing for Nature, Culture, and Joy.
In 2017, PAU started the design for an adaptive-reuse of the Refinery at Domino building, an industrial urban landmark constructed by Henry Havemeyer, intended to be the crown jewel of the new mixed-use neighborhood, according to the master plan conceived by founder Vishaan Chakrabarti, complete with an activated mix of creative office space, market-rate and affordable housing, neighborhood retail, and community facilities.
PAU was tasked with creating open architecture that seamlessly connects the existing neighborhood to the recaptured waterfront a quarter mile long.
The result is a state-of the-art, 425,000-square-foot workspace housed within a beautiful, idiosyncratic urban artifact that is unique to postindustrial Williamsburg, offering a singular experience for its inhabitants and the larger community alike.
Quote "The transformation of the Refinery entailed three major design moves—inserting a contemporary building in the sleeve of the historic structure similar to the machinery it once housed; creating a glass barrel vault form that pays homage to the American Round Arch style of the original; and opening the ground floor to the park and the surrounding Williamsburg neighborhood." says said Vishaan Chakrabarti, Founder and Creative Director of PAU.
"This approach has created an iconic landmark for the 21st century, offering users natural light, luscious greenery, waterfront views, and a contemporary dialogue with history that most new commercial projects lack.
Although conceived before the pandemic, the Refinery represents a future of work that offers a unique rootedness in place and community that is invaluable going forward."
PAU's elegant design responded by nesting a contemporary curtainwall building within the historic masonry — what some call "a bottle in a ship" — in order to create level, wheelchair-friendly office floors bathed with ambient light.
The brick exterior shades the interior from heat gain while revealing vignettes of the city and river beyond. The gap between the two façades enables daylight, biophilia, and interior views of the scarred and mottled brick, resulting in a unique post-pandemic workspace of the future.
The skyline barrel vault, achieved by recessing rooftop mechanicals, references the American Round Arch style of the historic structure's windows and creates column-free event space with stunning views.
On the ground floor, the windowsills have been dropped to grade to create porosity from shops into the surrounding parks.
The progressive design received near-unanimous approval from the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and has become a beloved part of the community.
Photo/Video Credit: PAU / Max Tohey
Drone Flyover Video
Vishaan Chakrabarti, Founder and Creative Director, PAU
With over 30-years of proven experience authoring and implementing visionary urban architecture, Vishaan Chakrabarti is the Founder and Creative Director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | PAU, where he leads the firm's growing global portfolio of cultural, institutional, and public projects.
Vishaan is also the author of the book, A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America, and the upcoming The Architecture of Urbanity: Designing for Nature, Culture, and Joy.
Project Name and Location: The Refinery at Domino in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York
In 2017, PAU started the design for an adaptive-reuse of the Refinery at Domino building, an industrial urban landmark constructed by Henry Havemeyer, intended to be the crown jewel of the new mixed-use neighborhood, according to the master plan conceived by founder Vishaan Chakrabarti, complete with an activated mix of creative office space, market-rate and affordable housing, neighborhood retail, and community facilities.
PAU was tasked with creating open architecture that seamlessly connects the existing neighborhood to the recaptured waterfront a quarter mile long.
The result is a state-of the-art, 425,000-square-foot workspace housed within a beautiful, idiosyncratic urban artifact that is unique to postindustrial Williamsburg, offering a singular experience for its inhabitants and the larger community alike.
Quote "The transformation of the Refinery entailed three major design moves—inserting a contemporary building in the sleeve of the historic structure similar to the machinery it once housed; creating a glass barrel vault form that pays homage to the American Round Arch style of the original; and opening the ground floor to the park and the surrounding Williamsburg neighborhood." says said Vishaan Chakrabarti, Founder and Creative Director of PAU.
"This approach has created an iconic landmark for the 21st century, offering users natural light, luscious greenery, waterfront views, and a contemporary dialogue with history that most new commercial projects lack.
Although conceived before the pandemic, the Refinery represents a future of work that offers a unique rootedness in place and community that is invaluable going forward."
PAU's elegant design responded by nesting a contemporary curtainwall building within the historic masonry — what some call "a bottle in a ship" — in order to create level, wheelchair-friendly office floors bathed with ambient light.
The brick exterior shades the interior from heat gain while revealing vignettes of the city and river beyond. The gap between the two façades enables daylight, biophilia, and interior views of the scarred and mottled brick, resulting in a unique post-pandemic workspace of the future.
The skyline barrel vault, achieved by recessing rooftop mechanicals, references the American Round Arch style of the historic structure's windows and creates column-free event space with stunning views.
On the ground floor, the windowsills have been dropped to grade to create porosity from shops into the surrounding parks.
The progressive design received near-unanimous approval from the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and has become a beloved part of the community.
Project Team List:
- Client: Two Trees Management
- Architect: PAU
- General Contractor: Field Condition
- Interior Architect of Record: Dencity Works Architecture
- Structural: Silman now TYLin
- Façade Consultant: Focchi Group
- MEP: Ettinger Engineering Associates
- Landscape: James Corner Field Operations
- Lighting: L'Observatoire International
