SPRING STUDIOS, NEW YORK

As we always strive to create a new way of life in a more collaborative and productive fashion, we conceived, designed and built Spring Studios to achieve such cultural transformation.
As noted in Wallpaper Magazine – “design art fashion and film all converge at Spring NY – Spring reflects the changing nature of the creative industry – where photography studio equals event space equals content production firm equals art gallery… a merging of cultural spaces and professional expertise”.
Spring Studios is the largest photo-studio complex in New York.
The property is approximately 120,000 sq/ft and is located in the core of TriBeCa, facing the exit from the Holland Tunnel. The project consists in the conversion of the top 4 stories of an existing unassuming building into a major photographic and moving image studio complex for Spring Studios, a comprehensive creative agency catering to the fashion industry, with headquarters in London, UK.
Spring is a group of companies which work within the fashion, beauty and luxury brand markets and have a shared strategic vision for international growth. Spring was started in 1996 as a photographic studio complex: today, Spring is widely recognized as one of the leading photographic studios in the world and throughout its group of companies is involved in up to 60 fashion shoots a day internationally.
Among various leading professional design firms in New York, we were selected for the architectural design of the project.
The scope included the construction of 11 studios, 9 green rooms, a signature restaurant, a bar, an art gallery, a cinema, a library, casting and editing offices, a roof deck, and a space for lighting and equipment rental.
In order to meet the requirements of the industry the management of Spring Studios required lift the slab between the fifth and sixth floor in order to achieve a studios ceiling height of at least 17’ feet clear. Another difficult task was the removal of several of the existing columns supporting the original structure.The roof of the existing building has been completely rebuilt in order to sustain the live load of the new roof terrace above.
During the survey of the original building we discovered oversized steel trusses supporting the roof across the span of the full building width. These trusses were hidden in a deep false ceiling underneath the roof structure. These elements of the original building were spared from demolition and incorporated in the design of the main studio/event space area.
The unassuming original façade of the building, consisting of yellow bricks and small horizontal windows has been transformed by the insertion of a massive window in steel and glass, opening the studio spaces to the amazing view of the open square located at the exit of the Holland Tunnel. From this oversize window it’ s possible, at every floor, to see many of TriBeCa landmark buildings.
This original yellow brick facade was painted black, in order to enhance its contrast with the glazed surface of the new curtain wall.
Another important component of the design is the gigantic staircase, connecting the sixth floor to the lounge area above and the roof terrace on top.
The design, inspired by surrealistic Escher drawings, was very complex. The stair ended up being fabricated in Italy by Interbau, a specialized company. It was shipped in pieces to the US and painfully installed and welded in place.
The result is a sculptural blackened steel structure, where the raising steps are also mirrored underneath. Read more