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COMMUNITY CENTER 122

Danielle
Legault

The primary goal for this project was to design a space that
takes into careful consideration tenants that include the
AIDS Service Center of NYC, Mabou Mines Theatre Group,
Performance Space 122, and Painting Space 122, along
with their visitors. Finding a way to unite (or disjoint) the
varying groups of people that would be using the commu-
nity center was the driving force of the design.
Considering that over half of the tenant groups are arts
based, the design for the community center derives from
the concept of a vitrine, a glass unit typically used to display
fine art. The challenge was finding a way to allow a form
that is traditionally very public to also act as private space.
Adopting the concept of a vitrine, and playing with differ-
ent proportions and concealment, the community center
becomes a place where one can see or be seen at different
scales and privacy. From peeking through a small opening
to standing within a larger “vitrine,” public vs. private
issues are resolved in accordance with the tenant’s pro-
gram. In the end, the entire CC122 building itself becomes
a vitrine to display and celebrate the diversity of New
York’s East Village community.

Degree: University of Toronto, HBA Art History.
Daslegault@gmail.com

Faculty: Bren Galvez-Moretti and Cary Ng

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