The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Power Station is a prominent building on the Gowanus Canal that recalls the industrial era of Gowanus when it was built in 1903 to supply electricity to the railroad and streetcar system. The building was once part of a complex that included the since demolished Boiler House adjacent to it. The remaining Turbine Hall was decommissioned in the 1950s and has continued to deteriorate over time. In the 2000s, the building became a destination for graffiti artists and became locally known as the “Batcave.” In 2012 the site was acquired by the Powerhouse Environmental Arts Foundation, a not-for-profit organization created to redevelop the property and manage operations as Powerhouse Arts.

PBDW and Herzog & de Meuron were retained to restore and revitalize the existing Turbine Hall building and design an addition to accommodate the needs of the new arts institution. This adaptive re-use project aims to transform the old Turbine Hall building into a fabrication and teaching workshop facility for artists in five mediums – metal, wood, ceramic, textiles, and printmaking.

The new complex echoes the original power plant in its massing and site usage, including an addition to the Turbine Hall that matches the proportions of the original Boiler House. The structure of the Turbine Hall and many of its interior surfaces (graffiti included) have been maintained and featured in the rehabilitated complex. The top floor of the Turbine Hall is the Grand Hall, an exhibition space and event venue. The project’s impact will play a critical role in enriching the cultural, environmental, and recreational spaces for the Gowanus area.

Architect: PBDW Architects (James Seger, Tory Cuddy, Brigitte Cook, Catherine Zagalis)

Design Consultant: Herzog & de Meuron Basel, Ltd.

Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associates Structural Engineers, DPC

MEP Engineers: Buro Happold Consulting Engineers, P.C.

Construction Manager: Urban Atelier Group

Landscape Architect: Ken Smith Workshop

Lighting Designer: Tillotson Design Associates

Civil Engineer: Philip Habib &Associates

Site Civil Engineer: Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc.

Environmental Engineer: Roux Associates

AV, IT, Security: Shen Milsom & Wilke

Theater Consultant: Charcoalblue New York

Facade Consultant: Reg Hough Associates, LLC, Eckersley O'Callaghan, Integrated Conservation Resources, Inc.

Acoustical: Longman Lindsey

Elevator: VDA Elevator Consulting

Photographers: Powerhouse Arts, Albert Vecerka-Esto and PBDW Architects

The American Architecture Award, The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture, Art Design and Urban Studies, 2024

AIA Tri-State Fusion Conference Design Award, 2024

Swiss Arc Award, Education and Health, 2024

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Best of Brooklyn recipient, 2024

Special Award for Innovation in Cultural Design Award, Sara Design NY, 2024

Honor Award, S|ARC Alumni Design Awards at Mississippi State University, 2024

Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards, The New York Landmarks Conservancy, 2024

Merit Award, AIA New York Chapter, 2024

Honor Award, AIA New York State, 2023

Open City Award, Open House New York, 2023

MASterworks Awards, New Urban Amenity, 2023

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“This 120 Year Old Brooklyn Building is now a Powerhouse for the Arts,” Metropolis Magazine

“A Former Energy Plant Recharges Brooklyn’s Arts Scene,” Azure Magazine

“Herzog & de Meuron Embraces Imaginative Reuse With Powerhouse Arts,” Architect Magazine

“BK Receives 2 Awards for Best new Public Buildings,” BK Reader

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