Riverhouse

HOK's New York City office recently executed a 40,000-square-foot design for Blue Sky Animation Studios in White Plains. Blue Sky has produced a number of works which you're likely familiar with (Ice Age, the Sopranos) and the project contemplated both the renovation of the firm's existing space, as well as expansion into an adjacent floor. The project's most prominent green design feature is its reclaimed oak paneling, which was procured from a stockyard in the Midwest and still shows various nail and worm holes. (The wood's supplier, TerraMai, also furnished the teak flooring at the Sheldrake Organization's LEED Gold-hopeful Riverhouse condominiums in Battery Park City). By specifying the worn paneling, HOK was able to provide the space with a natural outdoor character while simultaneously energizing the interiors with bright, creative colors. The design program included storyboard rooms for creative meetings in advance of animation, editing rooms, a sound studio, a cafe/community center, and a variety of open work spaces. HOK's design is also sensitive to light levels appropriate for Blue Sky's animators.