Adelphi University
Garden City, New York
4500 Square Feet
Interior architecture Third Floor of Ruth S. University Center

When the University Center was renovated in 2020 the majority of the Third Floor of the building was left vacant to be designed at a future date when new student needs could be better understood following the pandemic. The Interfaith Chapel and it’s associated offices were the only student spaces that had been completed on that floor. Following a comprehensive investigation by the University it was determined that student life would benefit from a Mindfulness Room where students could quietly relax and unwind, a Multicultural Center where student groups could meet and program specific events around cultural sharing and understanding, and a Testing Center for students who require a specifically calm, quiet and private testing environment to ensure test taking success. A Student Services office wing was also incorporated into the planning of the floor. These special spaces compliment the Chapel’s activities and offer students beautifully curated interior architecture to inspire and support their community.

The Multicultural Room was planned to incorporate a student mural, voted upon by the student body, which was designed and installed by the students of Cara Lynch’s Mural Arts Workshop. The space includes a movable partition to create a separate conference room, a raised wood stage area along with lounge seating to host various student gatherings. The rich palette of finishes is warm and inviting to all.

The Mindfulness Room features a canopy and wall of twinkling lights with various color effects within an acoustically designed quiet environment. Yoga and mediation classes are scheduled in the space as well as open time slots for students occupy the space on their own.

The Testing Center has a purposefully simple interior aesthetic to avoid creating visual distractions. There is an observation desk with a comprehensive view of the room, as well as private rooms for students who require extra privacy with an aide when taking an exam.

Ruth S. Harley University Center at Adelphi University
Garden City, New York

92,000 SF, (Renovation of 74, 000 SF and additions of 18,000 SF)

A comprehensive interior renovation and additions to the Adelphi University Student Center at Garden City campus. The project substantially rebranded the massive brick building with additions at the West and East sides of the building that created light-filled spaces and exceptional interiors while adding to the campus a new expanded Dining Hall, new Student Lounges, Meeting Rooms, a new Conference Center, Art Gallery, Interfaith Chapel, Campus Store, a modernized Ballroom and a new Amphitheater to engage the building with the campus landscape.

Services included programming, conceptual architectural planning and design, interior architectural design, and selection of all finishes and lighting.

Project challenges included providing a design to infuse natural light into uninviting dark interiors, engaging the larger campus, updating all of the mechanical systems to meet current building and energy codes.

Metropolitan College of New York: Bronx Campus
The Hub at 149^th Street, Bronx, NY
26,000 SF

photos by Wing Wong, Memories TTL, LLC

Established the Bronx Campus of Metropolitan College of New York within a new commercial retail complex. The program included classrooms, computer labs, a public assembly space, a library, a student lounge and faculty and administrative offices and support spaces.

Services included test plans for several building sites, programming, space planning, interior architectural design, and selection of all interior finishes, lighting, furniture and fabrics.

Project challenges were to create a distinctive and cohesive branded environment for the school within a commercial retail building and comply with life safety codes for the occupancy load. Square footage limitations prompted the integration of a flexible public assembly space that encompasses a student lounge and various classroom configurations. Angled corridors incorporate seating niches to reduce the perception of the long corridors and create opportunities for informal interaction between students and professors. The aesthetic of the interior design is unique, but also a companion to the main campus of MCNY in Lower Manhattan at 50 West Street.

Completed in collaboration with Vincent Martineau Architect

Language Studies International: NYC Facility
40 Rector Street, New York, NY
10,000 SF

photos by Wing Wong, Memories TTL, LLC

Interior fit-out within an office building in Lower Manhattan for an international language studies institute. The program includes classrooms, computer labs, a student lounge, faculty and administrative offices and support areas.

Services included space planning, interior architectural design, selection of interior finishes, lighting, furniture and fabrics.

Project challenges included working with the executive directors of LSI in London to ensure continuity in the branding of all of their worldwide locations. The multipurpose student lounge area makes use of expansive views across West Street to Battery Park.

Completed in collaboration with Vincent Martineau Architect

Marymount Manhattan College: Faculty Townhouse
255 East 71^st Street, New York, NY
8,000 SF

photos by Wing Wong, Memories TTL, LLC

Gut renovation of, and addition to, a townhouse to house faculty offices for Marymount Manhattan College. The existing interior of the townhouse structure was demolished to create five floors of faculty office space, a first floor addition was added to the rear of the property, and a fifth floor was added to the building to double the original square footage. The program includes shared offices and support spaces, a conference center and an outdoor rooftop terrace.

Services included architectural design of the rear extension and fifth floor addition, roof terrace, new front and rear façades and the creation of a new cellar space. Interior design services included space planning, interior architectural design, selection of all interior finishes, lighting, and selection and custom design of furniture.

Project challenges included inserting a new steel structural system within the existing party walls of the townhouse, excavation, and underpinning for new foundations for the cellar and the first floor extension. An elevator and ADA-accessible entry were integrated into the design of the building interior to meet current building code and ADA requirements. The interior design is meant to be gracious and detailed to impart a cohesive richness for a dignified academic environment.

Completed in collaboration with Vincent Martineau Architect

Marymount Manhattan College: Dining Hall and Student Lounge
221 East 71^st Street, New York, NY
10,000 SF

Gut renovation of three floors of the Main Building of Marymount Manhattan College to create a new cafeteria and student lounge which includes outdoor dining, and a new administrative office area. The third and fourth floors of the existing building were demolished to create a new kitchen, cafeteria, dining hall and lounge area linked via a communicating stair and by a new two-story glass curtain wall and glass canopy. The third floor dining hall and lounge open up to an outdoor dining deck protected by an expansive glass canopy. The eighth floor was renovated to provide a new administrative office pool.

Services included master planning, programming, space planning, architectural exterior curtain wall design and glass canopy design, interior architectural design, selection of all interior finishes, lighting, furniture and fabrics.

Project challenges included an analysis of the campus building to determine where existing programmed spaces could be consolidated or eliminated, working within the constraints of an existing 1920 structure, collaborating with facilities personnel, the administration, student representatives, and food service personnel to find common ground and gain Board approval. The bright and inviting cafeteria and the adjoining dining hall and lounge provide a gracious social environment for students and faculty. The project establishes the heart of the college as the outdoor terrace links the new facility to the library, unifying the major public areas of the campus.

Completed in collaboration with Vincent Martineau Architect

Metropolitan College of New York: Manhattan Campus
50 West Street, New York, NY
108,000 SF

photos by Wing Wong, Memories TTL, LLC

Renovation of four and a half floors in an office building in Lower Manhattan to house the Manhattan Campus of Metropolitan College of New York. The program included classrooms, computer labs, science labs, a public assembly space, a library, a student lounge and faculty and administrative offices and support spaces.

Services included test plans for several building sites, programming, space planning, interior architectural design, and selection of all interior finishes, lighting, furniture and fabrics.

Project challenges were to create a distinctive environment for the school within an office building and comply with life safety codes for the occupancy load. Two different structural systems and irregular column placements led to the creation of angled corridor walls that dance around the columns and provide dynamic circulation spaces with integrated lounge seating and computer stations. Square footage limitations prompted the integration of flexible public assembly space that provides various classroom and lecture room configurations. A light-flooded stair between two heavily trafficked floors with views to Battery Park provides relief for the elevators and an additional area of social interaction. The design motif established at the dedicated first floor entrance reasserts itself throughout each floor and in all the student spaces, providing a unified branded environment for the college.

Completed in collaboration with Vincent Martineau Architect

Nyack College: NYC Campus
Battery Park Place, New York, NY
190,000 Square Feet

photos by Wing Wong, Memories TTL, LLC

Renovation of seven and a half floors of an office building in Lower Manhattan to house the New York City Campus of Nyack College. The program included classrooms, computer labs, science labs, music practice rooms, a choral performance space, a flexible public assembly space, a library, a student lounge and faculty and administrative offices and support spaces.

Services included test plans for several building sites, programming, space planning, interior architectural design, and selection of all interior finishes, lighting, furniture and fabrics.

Project challenges were to create a distinctive branded environment for the school within many contiguous floors of an office building. Working within the confines of the existing structural system, a tight budget dictated by the building landlord, and solving acoustic issues inherent within the music education program led to creative design solutions. The music program was located on the top floor of the building to eliminate the opportunity of sound disturbance to other floors, and the Choir Room takes advantage of the magnificent river view towards the Statue of Liberty. The colorful floor pattern used on each floor is reminiscent of the stained glass colors in the college founder’s original seminary chapel and unifies the college’s presence in the building across the many floors. The fabulous views of the river and Battery Park were given over to generous corridors that incorporate counter tops with computers for student use and a generous oval-shaped lounge exists on each floor that echoes the college’s dedicated entrance on the first floor.

Completed in collaboration with Vincent Martineau Architect

Binghamton University: Appalachian Collegiate Center
Binghamton, New York
55,336 SF

A new student dining hall facility for the Appalachian Residential Complex at Binghamton University. The program included a dining hall, student lounge, classrooms, and student service offices and support spaces as well and an outdoor amphitheater.

Services included comprehensive architectural and interior design, programming and selection of all finishes and lighting.

Project challenges included working with the difficult topography of the site. Taking advantage of the steep slope, the dining hall floats above the prominent site forming a welcoming portal at the head of a monumental stair. The elevated dining hall affords expansive views of the campus and shelters an outdoor amphitheater, cafe and rock garden below its structure. The design of the facility fosters both interior and exterior social interaction.

Lori Kupfer directed this project while a Senior Associate Architect at Ehrenkranz, Eckstut and Kuhn Architects

Duquesne University: Bayer Hall
Pittsburgh, PA

A new building for the Duquesne University Campus to house lecture halls, science labs, classrooms and faculty offices.

Services included comprehensive architectural and interior design, programming and selection of all finishes, lighting and furniture.

Project challenges included creating a distinctive and welcoming building that fit the within and complimented the aesthetic of the Gothic Revival campus.

Lori Kupfer completed this project while an Associate Architect at Gerard and Nagar Architects