The architecture firm Frida Escobedo Studio, in collaboration with Handel Architects, has designed a red brick tower in the heart of Harlem that combines housing and culture. The Ray Harlem building stands on the historic National Black Theatre, integrating 17 floors of residential apartments with a new multi-level arts center that will pay tribute to the African American legacy.
The façade is inspired by the Sacred Forest of Osun-Osogbo in Nigeria, reflecting the cultural roots of the theater. While the upper floors are already inhabited, the new NBT facilities, which will include a performance space for 250 people, will begin construction at the end of the year. The design combines panels that fold inward and terraces that run through the tower, adding movement and texture to the complex.
Image courtesy of Frida Escobedo Studio
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