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Navy Yard Studio

Brooklyn, NY

Located in the industrial hub of the Brooklyn Navy Yards, this 8,000-square-foot studio for the artist Glenn Ligon was conceived as a highly functional, adaptive environment for the full spectrum of their artistic production — including the making, preparation, storage, documentation, and archiving of work. Our programmatic strategy is organized around a central ‘common room’, which serves as the social and working heart of the studio. From this nucleus, the program radiates outward in a pinwheel configuration, allowing distinct zones to support varied modes of art practice while maintaining spatial coherence.

The common room is articulated by a series of freestanding walls, which simultaneously define space and provide areas for various functions - including art display, pin-up space, library shelving & a pantry. These elements are differentiated through material tactility and use, subtly organizing the space without enclosure. Material choices were driven by a respect for economy and context: galvanized sheet metal panels, matching the building’s exposed ductwork, and prefinished maple plywood, used throughout for custom rolling tables and art storage systems, establish a visual continuity rooted in craft and industry.

This metal wall serves a dual function as a display shelf and pin-up wall. The galvanized sheet metal panels are interspersed by vertical standard rails that allow the user to customize the display shelving for exhibition. The metal is also magnetic which allows material to be attached and removed from the wall as needed.

Upon entry to the studio, visitors are greeted by a small plywood bench backed by a galvanized metal panel which defines the material palette used throughout the studio. On the backside, a minimal kitchenette by Reform defines one side of the common room — made from light grey cabinets with a stainless steel counter & plywood backsplash.

Around the corner from the common room is the main archival and office space of the studio. This open space offers a variety of storage space along with dedicated desk area. In contrast, the studio rooms are kept open and unencumbered to allow for maximum flexibility for the artist and their work.

The walls of the studio offer spaces not only for work, but also for display, such as this wall adjacent to the common room that holds one of Ligon’s neon light pieces.

Select Press

Wallpaper* — 2025
Leibal — 2025
This Is Paper — 2025

Project Info

Completion Date — 2024
Area — 8,000 sf
Contractor — Raymond Chow
Mechanical — ABS Engineering
Lighting — Kugler Ning Lighting
Photography — Nicholas Venezia