“In the Middle,” a community center developed at Pier 94, on the west side of Manhattan, is a place for refugees to gather, learn and rebuild their lives through integration into the community. The exterior environment of Pier 94 is brought into the interior by creating an interior landscape within the Pier's existing structure. This interior landscape is created not by means of using "outdoor" materials, but rather structurally. Materials used throughout the space include concrete, oak, and locally sourced woods.

Floating, shifting platforms, pierced by columns, create a dynamic landscape that defines program areas—for example with varying ceiling heights. Cables throughout the space have multiple functions, such as providing safety on platforms and defining “classrooms,” eliminating the need to create rooms with structural walls. Spaces are also defined by changes in finishes. For example, wood floors signify lecture halls. At first glance, means for getting to the second level are concealed, but the visitor soon discovers the passage through the vertical structures.

All these components exist to create a dynamic interior space where refugees will want to gather for concerts, to learn new things, and to seek administrative help.

Faculty for the project:Sandra Arndt