NYC Archive of Music Recordings
Almost All the Archives in New York City
TU WIEN 2024S
Studio Bachelor Design
INSTRUCTORS
Adam Charles Sherman
Pier Paolo Tamburelli
INDIVIDUAL WORK
LOCATION
Lower East Side,
New York City
receiving space
processing space
storage space
listening space
exhibition space
THE CONCEPT
Located in the dense urban fabric of Manhattan, this project reimagines the archive not as a closed vault, but as an accessible, vertical soundscape. The design addresses the duality of preservation and experience: storing delicate music recordings while making them accessible to the public.
URBAN CONCEPT
The project is anchored in the Lower East Side, a district defined by its gritty industrial alleys and tenement typology. As a historic center of vibrant nightlife and musical culture, the site provides the ideal backdrop for an institution dedicated to the preservation and experience of sound.
DESIGN & ACOUSTICS
The architecture is shaped by acoustic requirements. The listening pods are acoustically isolated volumes that “float” within the structural frame, creating a visual separation between public circulation and private immersion.
STRUCTURE & ATMOSPHERE
Using complex geometry, the facade and interior voids allow natural light to penetrate deep into the building without damaging the archived materials. The interplay of raw structural elements and warm interior materials creates an atmosphere of focused listening and discovery.
PLANS & SECTIONS
PHYSICAL MODEL
