The corner plot between 125th street and 5th avenue create an ideal urban condition for arterial connections between Harlem’s most busy street and Marcus Garvey park. The Langston Hugues community center opens towards the “doughnut alley” in the back to create a direct flow between urban conditions. This connection invites the city dwellers towards community spaces in which local artists and vendors showcase their work. The building combines programs such as a coffee shop, a community library, artist residence, flexible art galleries, and performance spaces that together produce the perfect atmosphere for artistic inspiration.

 

The building integrates various systems to ensure comfort and sustainability. The perforated steel façade is algorithmically manipulated to ensure maximum daylight in needed areas while protecting others that require less exposure. The weathering of the steel adheres to the sensibility of the surrounding brick buildings. The interior slabs combine Geo-solar hybrid radiant cooling and heating cooper tubes to maintain the building’s temperature and reduce carbon emissions. A roof garden collects and filters runoff water. The combination of these methods creates a building conscious of its environment and community.

 

As the city continues to develop and grow It becomes increasingly important to have spaces that celebrate and commemorate the history of Harlem. The Langston Hughes community center will serve as a safe haven for Harlem’s great cultural diversity with the hope of driving forward the incredible artistic momentum that reverberates in the area.

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