100 Ring Road

Garden City, NY

The Ring Road project at Roosevelt Field in Garden City, New York required the re-cladding and renovation of a tired façade. The office building was intended to be a reflection of a memory. The developer wanted to pay homage to the buildings original owner, his late father, by utilizing some of the structures original exterior features and unifying them with contemporary architecture.

Skill and creativity in form, function and technical advancement were essential in developing a contemporary update for the fascia. Given the high traffic area in which the building stands, the design needed to have strong stature and reflect a sense of social responsibility and history. Layers of materials were used to incorporate the intentions with the need to bring the edifice in to the new century.

The two story glass and aluminum clad curved entry is a visual expression of the advancement of the building. An addition of 1,441 square feet to the original structure allowed for the use of colored aluminum paneled systems, creating a grand sense of depth and scale. The panels were built off the original walls to give the building a new expression of modernity. As sunlight passes through the aluminum louvers it casts an illuminating striped shadow on to the façade, adding to the dramatic effect. Glimpses of the original green, glazed brick were left intact and integrated as a tribute to the history of the building and its original owner.

The innovative use of materials and engineering advances were an integral part of the thoroughness in the preservation and renovation of this structure. The success of this transformation is evident. However, the consideration of a son for his father hides among the obvious.