175 Pearl
175 Pearl Street is an 8-story historic building originally part of the Watchtower portfolio in Brooklyn's DUMBO neighborhood. Normandy Real Estate enlisted A+I to conceive of a new branded identity, programming, and design, with hospitality-forward amenities and experiences, that resulted in a fully repositioned building that attracted their desired tech and creative tenant base.
A neighborhood analysis quickly revealed that not only did the building's previously-unoccupied roof have spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge and downtown Manhattan, but that it had those because it sits on the topographic high point of DUMBO. The high point became the "hi" point, combining the unique physical assets of the building with the warmth and friendliness of a casual greeting. This identity expressed itself in graphic design as well as experiential and architectural decisions for the entire building.
Photos by Magda Biernat
Working with a modest budget, A+I helped Normandy strategize where their dollars would have the greatest impact and deliver the highest value. Four locations were identified to best emphasize the identity and provide tenants with amenities that would help them attract and retain talent: the sidewalk presence, the lobby, the roof, and the facade.
To give the building a city-wide presence, local Brooklyn artist Mike Perry was commissioned to create original artwork with the word "Hi" integrated into a graphic floral mural for the top of the building, clearly visible to all from the Brooklyn Bridge, welcoming all to the borough.The entire building was painted to a sophisticated grey to differentiate itself from its former Watchtower neighbors, a relatively inexpensive means to transform a large facade.
To give curb appeal and visibility on a street with little sidewalk traffic, A+I redesigned a strategic portion of the ground floor facade for greatest impact. We added entries for retail access directly from the street, changing windows to give more visible porosity to the building, including huge awning windows on the corner that connect the corner retail space to the city on nice days.
