The 2019 Open House New York Weekend schedule is here!
Photo courtesy of Open House New York
The annual Open House New York Weekend is around the corner, and the calendar and guide to tours, events, and access to typically off-limits sites have been released. OHNY Weekend is Friday, October 18, Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20. Highlights include new sites like Pier 35 eco-park , the TWA Hotel, The Spur High Line (the last section of the original High Line rail structure to be converted into public space) and 277 Mott, a new core and shell project by Toshiko Mori Architect with a twisting facade that appears to shift as pedestrians approach. There are also featured sites like the Brooklyn Navy Yard and special curated series like Factory Fridays and Open Studios. Tools to help you plan your weekend include an event guide, an interactive map showing where “open access” sites and events are located throughout the five boroughs, and an itinerary planner.
Pier 35. Image courtesy of SHoP Architects.
Since the first Open House New York Weekend in 2003, buildings and sites throughout the five boroughs have opened their doors to the public in October; Open House New York Weekend unlocks the doors of New York City’s most important buildings, offering an extraordinary opportunity to experience the city and meet the people who design, build, and preserve it at hundreds of sites. While the majority of OHNY Weekend sites are Open Access, meaning they can be visited free-of-charge during open hours, some sites and tours require reservations and a $5 fee per person. Reservations for these (listed here) sites will be available starting at 11am on Tuesday, October 8.
TWA Hotel; image credit: David Mitchell.
Highlights of Open House New York 2019 include:
Brooklyn Army Terminal: The Cass Gilbert-designed military supply center turned innovative industrial campus is open on both Saturday and Sunday, featuring an awe-inspiring atrium and dozens of ChaShaMa artists’ studios open to the public, along with new renovations that connect the historic property to the surrounding Sunset Park waterfront and community.
Brooklyn Navy Yard: From 1801–1866, the Yard served as one of the nation’s premier naval shipyards. Today, the site is owned by the City of New York and operated as a not-for-profit industrial park dedicated to supporting urban manufacturing. The Yard is currently home to 450+ businesses that employ 10,000+ people. More than 50 artists and manufacturers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard will open their doors on Saturday, October 19, the one day a year the Yard is open to the public.
TWA Hotel: On Sunday, October 20, to celebrate the official opening of the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport in the iconic Eero Saarinen-designed TWA Flight Center, Open House New York will host a special afternoon of talks with the design teams behind the renovation and expansion, as well as site-specific performances of new music commissioned for the occasion.
277 Mott Street; image courtesy of Toshiko Mori Architect.
New sites to discover
- 277 Mott, a new core and shell project by Toshiko Mori Architect with a twisting front facade that appears to shift when seen by approaching pedestrians.
- 25 Kent, the first commercial building of its kind built in North Williamsburg in over 40 years, with an expansive rooftop that offers 360-degree views of the city and beyond.
- Center for Fiction, the only nonprofit organization in the U.S. dedicated to celebrating fiction. The Center’s new headquarters, designed by BKSK Architects, is home to 70,000 titles, a bookstore, an auditorium, and workspaces.
- Crown Shy, the restaurant designed with three floors of kitchens, dining rooms, and a bar. The 125-seat dining establishment is hidden in plain sight off the ornate Art Deco lobby of 70 Pine Street, behind an unassuming glass door.
- The Equitable Building at 120 Broadway, the Beaux-Arts gem that spans an entire city block and just received a $50 million renovation by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners.
- Fotografiska, the first international outpost of the Stockholm-based photography destination at the historic 281 Park Avenue South, renovated by CetraRuddy Architecture.
- Pier 35, the new eco-park by SHoP Architects and Ken Smith Workshop that anchors the northern boundary of the East River esplanade project and utilizes an innovative habitat restoration prototype.
- The Spur High Line, the last section of the original High Line rail structure to be converted into public space. Daytime tours will be led by James Corner Field Operations and evening lighting tours by L’Observatoire International.
Modulightor Building; image credit: Joe Polowczuk.
Returning favorites
- City Hall, one of the nation’s oldest city halls, is still serving its original government functions. In addition to the stunning rotunda, visitors get a chance to see the City Council Chamber and Governor’s Room.
- DSNY M 1/2/5 Garage and Salt Shed, the award-winning Department of Sanitation facility home to three district garages with over 150 sanitation vehicles; fueling, repair, and vehicle wash facilities–and 5,000 tons of salt.
- Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, the modernist icon by Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates returns to OHNY Weekend after a multiyear renovation by Gensler.
- Manhattan Borough President’s Office Map Display, the only time the complete set of 92 Randel Farm maps of 1820, one of the most important documents in New York City history, are displayed in full.
- Modulightor, home to the Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation, the famous modernist building features intricately interwoven horizontal and vertical spaces and rich displays of worldly objects.
- Newtown Creek Wastewater Resource Facility, the largest of New York City’s wastewater treatment plants, designed by Ennead Architects.
- United Nations Headquarters, where visitors will learn about the history of the organization, its architecture, and artwork with stops in the Plaza and General Assembly Lobby.
- Woolworth Building, the “Cathedral of Commerce” by architect Cass Gilbert, whose design changed the face of engineering for the decades that followed.
Factory Friday: Big aLICe Brewing-Co.; image credit: Megan Swann
Factory Friday
Factory Friday invites visitors into 29 manufacturing spaces across the city for rarely offered factory tours. A sampling of participating factories:
- Breuckelen Distilling | spirits
- Big aLICe Brewing Co., | small batch beer
- Krypton Neon | Neon and neon signage
- Roni-Sue’s Chocolates | chocolate
- SITU | design and fabrication
- This Chick Bakes | baked goods
- Stickbulb at RUX Studios | lighting
Open Studios: AECOM Landscape Architecture + Urban Design-Studio; image credit: Robb Williamson
Open Studios
Over two dozen of the city’s leading architects and designers will open their studios for Open House New York Weekend, offering a glimpse of their workspaces and a chance to see new projects in the design phase. Among the participating studios are:
- COOKFOX Architects, Columbus Circle, Manhattan
- Selldorf Architects, Union Square, Manhattan
- Tsao & McKown Architects, Gowanus, Brooklyn
- C Wall Architecture, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
- DXA Studios, Midtown, Manhattan
- Marvel Architects, Tribeca, Manhattan
- W Architecture & Landscape Architecture, Downtown Brooklyn
- AECOM Landscape Architecture + Urban Design Studio, Sunset Park, Brooklyn
- Tacklebox Architecture, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Free copies of the OHNY Weekend Event Guide (PDF) can also be picked up at several distribution locations throughout the city.
Image courtesy of 25 Kent.
The 2019 OHNY Weekend starts with a ticketed fundraiser launch party on Thursday, October 17 from 6:30-9:30pm at 25 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Expect a festive evening of drinks, entertainment, and stunning views with fellow Open House New Yorkers. All proceeds benefit Open House New York Weekend.
Check for more information and check out the events and locations included in the 2019 OHNY Weekend at OHNY.org.
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