Repurposing historic buildings and turning them into innovative new spaces is a practice that leads to some of the most creative spaces in New York City. One of the most exciting adaptive reuse projects going on right now is the transformation of 281 Park Avenue South. The six-story building located in the Flatiron District was constructed in 1894 and this fall will start a new life as Fotografiska New York, a multi-concept cultural venue dedicated to inspiring a more conscious world through the power of photography. If you are an Untapped Cities Insider, you can join a hard hat preview tour on August 1st!
Fotografiska first started in Stockholm in May of 2010. The institution is now an internationally renowned exhibition space and cultural center for photography which has showcased many of the best photographers in the world, including David LaChapelle, Annie Leibovitz, and Martin Schoeller, alongside an incredible roster of emerging talents. Fotografiska’s presence has been seen in New York City since 2018 when the ground-floor windows of the Park Avenue location were activated with images from past Fotografiska exhibits.
Neither a traditional museum nor a gallery, Fotografiska New York will be home to a multi-concept venue featuring three floors of exhibition space, an elevated dining room, bar and cafe operated by the award-winning Starr Restaurants group and a highly curated art book and gift store. A versatile event venue with vaulted ceilings and skylights will host programming for the Fotografiska community on the top level.
Slated to open in October 2019, the venue will take over all six floors and 45,000 square feet of the landmarked building. Built in 1894 as the Church Missions House, the limestone and granite structure has since housed the offices of various philanthropic organizations. Fotografiska New York will highlight the heritage of the building in subtle ways such as incorporating original architectural elements like its vaulted ceilings and stunning stained glass windows into the new spaces.
The Award-winning architecture and interior design firm CetraRuddy is leading the design and renovation of the building while the esteemed design studio Roman and Williams will conceive the interior concept for the second floor restaurant and Higgins Quasebarth & Partners are consulting on the preservation and restoration elements of the historic property. Through forward-thinking design, the aim is to create an integrated experience that will inspire memorable moments, and balance the opportunity for community and conversations as well as introspection and intimacy.
Inside the historic space, Fotografiska will mix art, food and social engagement to encourage creativity and provide a personal yet dynamic shared experience. You can learn more about the venue and become a member on their website. If you are an Untapped Cities Insider, you can join us for a special hard hat tour of Fotografiska New York on Thursday, August 1st while it is still under construction. Not an Insider yet? Become a member today to gain access to free behind-the-scenes tours and special events all year long!
REGISTRATION: Booked out! Join the waitlist by filling out the form below! ( function () { const contact_forms = document.getElementsByClassName('contact-form'); for ( const form of contact_forms ) { form.onsubmit = function() { const buttons = form.getElementsByTagName('button'); for( const button of buttons ) { button.setAttribute('disabled', true); } } } } )();
Nicole Saraniero is the Insider-in-Chief at Untapped New York, leading our Untapped New York Insiders membership program. Nicole graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Science in Televis
