Whittle Schools & Studios
This 11,000 square foot office fitout in a Pei Cobb Freed office building overlooks Manhattan’s Bryant Park. The tenant is America’s premier for-profit school corporation, Whittle Schools & Studios. Partnering with Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Building Studio Architects was the executive architect of record, producing all construction documents and conducting meticulous construction administration.
-
Creating an open loft for their headquarters, the design centers on a floor-wide studio space open to the structure above. Glazed offices and assembly spaces barely inhibit the sense of open, raw, continuous space, all focused on 360 degree views of midtown Manhattan.
This office was planned with assembly spaces and media areas both for display to prospective families as well as for communication with Whittle’s far flung team across the globe. Their mission to create extraordinary and unique schools as a global and modern institution was reflected in the design of their new office environment.
Technology in the digital age is another pillar of their curriculum, which helps students learn beyond the four walls of their schools. Extensive audio visual integration was a key element of this project, and invisibly incorporating acoustic treatment to balance the hard surfaces and open spaces supported the client’s desire for a quiet environment.
Client: Whittle Schools
Location: 7 Bryant Park New York, NY
Category: Office Interiors
Completion: 2019
Team: Michael Goldblum, Anthony Watkins
Photography: Timothy Schenck
