ARCHITECTURE LEADERS TODAY
T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY www.architectureleaderstoday.com
Nandinee Phookan Architects
Nandinee Phookan Architects: a design studio that works across scales, from architecture and interior design to furniture and products.
northeast | architecture
Minimalism and Materiality
Nandinee Phookan Architects has brought a global depth to bear on the firm’s endeavors in architecture, furniture and brand design. by Joel Cornell
N
andinee Phookan Architects is a multifaceted Brooklyn-based architecture and design firm with a diverse portfolio of innovative and progressive work. “I was interested in art as well as math and science,” Phookan said. “Architecture was a natural fit for my diverse interests. For me, it is the most complex and challenging art as it simultaneously addresses issues of utility, function, structure and environmental systems, as well as aesthetics and form-making.” Her words do well to sum up Nandinee Phookan Architects’ comprehensive and passionate approach to design and architecture. Combining a minimalist approach with a richness in materials, Nandinee Phookan Architects’ projects have a distinct style across a range of scales and project types, from architecture to furniture, products and branding. 2 Architecture Leaders Today
Born in Assam, India, Phookan first received her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Delhi before attending The Massachusetts Institute of Technology to earn her Masters degree in Housing and Environmental Design. During her time at MIT, Phookan worked with N. John Habraken on the application of his “Supports and Infill” system to multi-family housing and urban design. The key to the system was flexibility in design that gave the user greater control over their environment by separating elements that are fixed and those that are not. In her own practice, Phookan has continued to pursue her interest in multi-family housing along with other building types. After leaving MIT, Phookan relocated to New York City where she worked with several architectural firms and taught design studios at Pratt Institute and City
College. In 1996, she started her firm with projects ranging from high-end residential to corporate interiors and galleries. From the beginning, the focus of the firm was on design excellence and the studio promoted collaboration and creative thinking. Phookan’s partner, co-principal Luis Rivera, joined the firm in 2002 and brought with him a history of working in larger architectural firms including Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Ellerbe Beckett and NBBJ. His experience in the coordination of interdisciplinary teams of consultants, and the management of projects on a large and complex scale brought a level of technical expertise that empowers the creatively conducive culture of the firm. In maintaining a diverse array of project types across many industry verticals, Nandinee Phookan Architects has branched out into urban design
architecture | northeast
July/August 2011 3
northeast | architecture
28 Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY The Eagle Warehouse at 28 Old Fulton Street in Brooklyn Heights is a nineteenth century 85 unit loft building that was converted to residential use in the 1970s with an interesting mix of floor plans including duplexes and triplexes. This 3,500 square foot duplex combines two of the original duplexes laid out into conventional bedroom and living/ dining spaces. The new owner wanted a more open floor plan with a grand stair connecting the main level entered directly from the building lobby, and the level below. The formal strategy is based on the interplay of solid and void. The demolition of the non bearing interior walls revealed the structural shell, and the design was conceived as an intervention within this existing structure. The floor was removed on one of the structural bays, creating a void defined by concrete encased steel columns at the corners and glass railings. A counterpoint to the negative space is provided by a built volume, inserted into the structural shell, housing kitchen and bathroom spaces and separating the public and private areas of the apartment. The void connects the two floors of the duplex with a sculptural steel stair and brings light to the recreational spaces on the level below. Photographs by Tom Judge Photography
4 Architecture Leaders Today
architecture | northeast
and planning, cultural and community centers and affordable housing as well as residential and commercial architecture and interiors, not to mention their lines of products and extensive branding services. In 2009 Nandinee Phookan Architects launched Imake Studio, “a design studio that celebrates the power of design through a process of making.” The first product introduced by Imake Studio was Octavo, a modular table developed in response to Nandinee Phookan Architects’ own need for a conference table that could be reconfigured, expanded and shrunk according to space availability and function. The designers at Nandinee Phookan Architects move easily from high end residential rehabilitations with custom detailing and substantial budgets
to affordable housing and non-profit projects where budgets have to be stretched to the limit. Regardless of the budget, they bring the same commitment to good design in adding value to the project. The firm’s recently completed projects include a loft in Chelsea, New York City, where large custom designed sliding panels in leather and teak veneer are used to close and open up the space. Another project in a 100-year-old building, 28 Old Fulton Street, is designed as a purist formal intervention, where a duality of solid and void occupy the double story historic shell. Here, the solid houses the private areas and the void houses a stair connecting the two floors. Nandinee Phookan Architects moved their offices from Manhattan to Brooklyn in 2007 and
has been part of the creative renaissance in Dumbo, Brooklyn, working on several projects in Brooklyn, both new buildings and renovations. They are the architects for the rehabilitation of the 84 year old, 180,000 square foot building in downtown Brooklyn owned by the YWCA, a non-profit organization that has been providing essential services for women in need, for more than a hundred years. The project includes housing, offices and a community center. To quote Martha Kamber, Executive Director of the YWCA, Brooklyn, “We wanted a center that was welcoming to the public and that promoted an environment of community unity. We also wanted to preserve the architectural integrity of our 1927 building and we had a limited budget with an impending completion deadline. July/August 2011 5
northeast | architecture
Residence, 310 E 53rd Street, New York, NY This project, occupying an entire floor of a new apartment building consists of three separate apartments that were redesigned into a 6000 sf residence for an extended family. The central elevator lobby is designed as a private gallery linking the main apartment combining two of the three apartments, and a smaller apartment for the parents. Floating ceilings and freestanding walls clad in warm natural materials are used to create a contemporary, open living space. Photos by Christopher Wesnofske
6 Architecture Leaders Today
architecture | northeast
“...freestanding walls clad in warm natural materials are used to create a contemporary, open living space.�
July/August 2011 7
northeast | architecture
Nandinee Phookan Architects quickly responded to these challenges by developing a new scope that is both elegant and inviting while keeping within our capital budget. In our experience, Nandinee Phookan Architects consistently demonstrates thoughtful care, meticulous attention to detail and an accessibility that promotes close collaboration.” Yet, far from being localized, Nandinee Phookan Architects’ projects are located around the world. In her home country of India, Phookan’s projects build on traditional architectural forms and techniques to create contemporary environments that are both sustainable and timeless. “First Pitch: the 8 Architecture Leaders Today
U.S. Manipur baseball project,” a New York-based non-profit organization has been working in the northeastern state of Manipur in India to create a fully fledged program for baseball enthusiasts in the region. The lead behind First Pitch aims to create youth and community programs as well, all centered around organized baseball leagues and camps. In their search for an architect to design the new baseball complex in Manipur, First Pitch wanted an architectural firm that understood the unique culture and history of Manipur and could create a contemporary baseball complex that is rooted in local architectural traditions. Their obvious
first choice was Nandinee Phookan Architects. The project, which was initiated by First Pitch in 2007 with backing by the local government, will be the first regulation baseball park in all of India. The scope of the facilities will extend to include coaching camps conducted by MLB coaches, offices, dormitories for visiting teams and camp attendees, meeting and exhibition areas, as well as performance spaces and guest lodging areas. A film documenting the entire process will be part of the final project.
architecture | northeast
Loft, 217 W 19th Street, New York, NY This New York City loft apartment combines a modernist minimalism with a rich palette of materials and textures. Sliding panels are used throughout the apartment to open and close the space. Aluminum and glass panels close off the kitchen and the study area when required. Teak veneer sliding panels, used to separate private spaces off the hallway, can open up the child’s room completely, extending her play area into the hallway. Leather sliding panels at the accessory space off of the living area allow it to function as a guest bedroom with access from the hallway when closed. The study is conceived as a glass box within the space. The lighting continues the design vocabulary, drawing attention to the space that it lights rather than the fixture itself. Continuous linear halogen fixtures create planes of light grazing down the teak panels and up the laminated glass to the ceiling above the closets. Photos by Christopher Wesnofske
July/August 2011 9
northeast | architecture
10 Architecture Leaders Today
architecture | northeast
In 2009, Nandinee Phookan Architects launched IMAKE Studio, “a design studio that celebrates the power of design through a process of making,” showcasing its line of products. Simultaneously with Phookan’s architectural work in India, Imake Studio has developed its Dreamweave line of sustainable products using hand-woven wild silks unique to northeastern India, adding to its existing line of furniture and products. “In Assam, traditionally every woman had a loom in her house and I grew up watching my grandmother weave,” Phookan said. With increasing development and urbanization, weaving as a household cottage industry is dying out, yet a few
weavers have continued to develop new fabrics. Phookan was struck by the minimalist aesthetic of the fabrics, a design sensibility that resonates with her own work in New York. For Nandinee Phookan Architects and Imake Studio, the Dreamweave project creates a bridge to collaboration and understanding of aesthetic production in diverse cultures. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Dreamweave collection will go towards projects that will empower the weavers, including architectural projects the firm hopes to develop,
such as a community, health and literacy center. With a core team of architects and designers and an extended network of collaborators and partners, Nandinee Phookan Architects has been leading the global trends away from excess. Their mindset confers a sense of depth in architecture, furniture and branding, both in terms of the sustainability of their building systems and the timelessness of their designs. ALT
July/August 2011 11