August 19, 2011 -
Green Buildings
22 Washington Sq. North, a newly restored NYU Law building, has been granted LEED Silver certification by the USGBC, according to Morris Adjmi Architects, the architect and designer of the project.
Originally built in the 1830s and designated a historic landmark in 1969, the Greenwich Village townhouse has been completely restored and renovated by Morris Adjmi Architects. An opening was cut out of the existing roof to create an interior courtyard with a new green wall system, which brings natural light and greenery down to each floor. All of the offices in the building face outdoors and enjoy views of either Washington Sq. Park to the south, the greenery draped courtyard, or a private lane to the north. Both the north and south façades were restored, with a portion of the north exterior being rebuilt.
"Restoring this historic building and designing it to USGBC standards of LEED presented a number of unique challenges, but we are very pleased with the end result," said Morris Adjmi, founder and principal of Morris Adjmi Architects.
The firm has designed a number of green buildings in Manhattan in recent years, including Wilf Hall in Greenwich Village, the Highline Building at 450 West 14th St., and residential building 16 West 21st St. Wilf Hall, which houses several NYU Law centers and institutes as well as the famed Provincetown Playhouse, is currently being considered for LEED Platinum certification.