Artisan Incubator
An Artisan Oasis
Gabrielle Clune + Kyle Irving
Instructor: Nancy Clark
The 1970s was a time of progressive ideologies. Greenwich Village became a hub of artistic and intellectual revolution. This era was known as American Bohemianism. Today, widespread gentrification and a lack of affordable housing (in a majority of the city) have resulted in an exodus of artisans from New York City into areas such as Brooklyn. Influenced by Metabolist architecture, this tower serves as an oasis for artisans of all types and as an incubator for ideas, allowing ideas to spread among the artisans and the public. It becomes a nexus and last standing free-hold of art as a process, not just a product. The hope is that this movement will proliferate throughout the city.
Rather than creating a form that is divided into living units, we created individual spaces that fit the needs of the artisan occupying the space. Artisan types that could occupy units within the tower were imagined, and sections of these spaces were created. We then categorized these volumes into 4 themes: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. Each were sorted into the needs that the craft requires. For example, a glassblower requires a furnace; therefore, that artisan space is sorted into a Fire theme, which is designed to accommodate this need. The interior atrium surrounding the central staircase spans throughout the entire tower. The open space penetrates the interior, creating common areas connecting craftsmen. This vertical neighborhood environment fosters collaborative spaces where artisans can interact and share ideas.
The site, 99 Jane Street, currently serves as Enterprise Rental Car storage. Located just two blocks from the Whitney Museum of American Art and the beginning of the High Line, the tower overlooks Pier S 1 and the Hudson River. The site is located around many modern luxury condos. The upscale residences in the neighborhood lack a sense of community that the Artisan Incubator would provide. The individual artisan pods were nested integrally on a framework of a tower to inspire a sense of community and neighborhood in the sky. The interior atrium spans throughout the whole tower, not only providing circulation but also permeability in the workspaces of artisans to inspire cross-pollination and exposure to the public. The tower not only serves as a gathering space for the residents, but the Public Incubator is also a way for artisans to engage and market ideas to the community. This tower serves as a link between the art, or product, and the creator.
