New York, New York, USA
Once the home to the National Academy of Design on New York’s Upper East Side, the former museum is slated for renovation by Rafael Viñoly.
The neo-Renaissance structure was designed by Ogden Codman and built between 1913 and 1915 with an extension to the neighboring 1083 Fifth Avenue. In 1941, the buildings were donated to the National Academy of Design, and in 1959, 5 East 89th Street was also built as an addition to the structures for the institution.
The owner of the new gallery, Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, hired Viñoly to restore the landmarked building’s facade, replace windows and doors, enlarge some areas of the structure, and add two stories to the roof area of the building.
Greenberg Rohatyn also proposed two additions to the roof area, to convert the last story into an artist’s residence and studio, and the floor below, the fifth story, into an art library and research center. The plan also calls for the art gallery to occupy the first three floors.
New York’s Landmarks Preservation Commission’s approval is contingent on removing one floor from the proposed rooftop addition because of its size and bulk. Viñoly proposes adding an artists’ residence at the top of the building.
“What [Greenberg Rohatyn] has supported for many years … is the idea that art is not just the object itself but a process and that in the process the presence of the artist-making,” Viñoly said. He added that that part of the project is fundamental to the owner’s vision.
Rafael Vinoly Architects’ National Academy of Design
Architects: Rafael Viñoly Architects
Original Architects: Ogden Codman (1913-1915)
Owner: Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn
