Greyfield

Adaptive reuse project in Rochester, NY for the Hickey Freeman building.

Greyfield is an urban planning term for dead space. The term originates from the endless ‘fields’ of grey asphalt and concrete typically found in said spaces. Though the term has negative connotations in the urban design industry, I see the term as a positive indicator of untapped potential. Growing up, construction sites and parking lots provided a blank canvas for years of imagined games and chalk drawings – Greyfield aims to reclaim and imbue the term with that same childlike wonder, and provide a blank canvas for artists of all kinds to express their creativity.

The Hickey Freeman Building was constructed in 1912, designed by Rochester firm Gordon, Madden, & Kaelber, a firm founded by three RIT graduates. The building experienced multiple additions over the next century. Constructed on a steel frame rather than a timber frame, the building is an archetypal example of a 20th century industrial facility with its concrete coated steel beams and traditional hardwood floors. The building served as the headquarters for the Hickey Freeman company, a group widely regarded as the most illustrious producers of menswear in Rochester in the 20th century.

In honor of the Hickey Freeman legacy, it is only fitting that the building continues to be a house of creation. Through the Greyfield resident artist program, up and coming artists will be able to stand where the finest tailors of 10th century America once stood, and hone their craft to the same level of mastery.

Greyfield will provide a shared residence for artists to exchange ideas and hone their craft. The diverse ceremony spaces provided will stimulate reflection and awareness, while the amply-equipped studio spaces will provide a constructive environment for expressing this growth. Additionally, Greyfield will serve as a rapport between artists in residence and the greater Rochester community through its gallery exhibitions which will be opne to the public every 3 months.

Through unity and harmony in color and contrast in forms and materials, Greyfield will encourage artists to par away distractions and further develop their own voices as artists and creators.

Branding/Inspiration

FFE

Elevations

Floor/Site Plans

Programming Documents

Millwork