Mixed-use Development

Chelsea, a famous art block with more than 400 world-class galleries, is an agglomeration for artists in New York. Most of them live and work here, absorbed in artistic creation, holding exhibitions, and selling artworks.

This mixed-use development is an exploration of the relationship among four kinds of people: local artists, traveling artists, local residents, and tourists based on the cultural background of Chelsea. Local artists choose to live beside their studios in consideration of convenience, but they need to face the problem that visitors may interrupt their private lives; traveling artists are beset by the problem of entering the local art circle; local residents and tourists could not fully appreciate modern art and post-modern art due to the lack of guidance. By reorganizing basic programs needed by artists and visitors, This project tries to solve these issues and creates spaces satisfying the need for interaction and independence.

Site Analysis

The site is located in Chelsea. Since the 1990s, with the decrease of galleries in SOHO, plenty of galleries moved to Chelsea with low-rent at that time. Now this legendary area is occupied by approximately 400 world-class galleries. Meanwhile, the Highline Park, stretching from the north to the south of Chelsea, links buildings with galleries hiding there. The project is in the south of the core area of gathering galleries and interacting with surrounding art institutions. It also echoes with spreading studios, theaters, and auditoriums. The culture of Chelsea provides a splendid art circumstance for the project, while the project also injects new vitality into the region.

Programming Reorganization

According to program relationships and different art forms, the exhibition space is divided into two parts: the auditory art area and the visual art area. The auditory art area is a multi-media art center with art forms of music, film, games, drama, etc. The visual art area is upstairs in order to provide a quiet circumstance for both visitors and artists. Then Living Facilities and a Hotel are on the top of the building with security and privacy.

Then, for better working, living, and recreating conditions, space is refined and recombined. The auditory art area is divided into three parts, one is the auditory art experience center where auditory art artists work and visitors enjoy artworks, one is theaters and auditory-art artist dwellings, and another is the auditorium which needs large space. Gallery, visual-art artist studios, and visual-art artist dwellings are in related spaces for stimulating connection among artists. Meanwhile, to protect the privacy of artists, the visitors’ sight is guided by walls and windows.




This mixed-use high-rise building is a junction and platform for both artists and visitors. The programming includes public spaces, such as an auditory art experience center, gallery, theater and auditorium, living amenities, and sky bar; Semi-public spaces, such as artist studios and their personal display zones; And private spaces, such as artist dwellings and hotels.




These programs form 6 prototypes of the spaces, following the rule that public spaces are in the central place of the building that could be recognized from a section view.


The plans represent the 4 most important special relationships with different privacy levels. For instance, the gallery and artist dwellings are separated by walls, and on adjacent levels the gallery and studio have fluidity.