Overview

Settlement Health and Medical Services had outgrown its facilities in East Harlem because of the substantial growth of its programs, and needed to expand. The first phase of its expansion program was to free up area for additional clinical space by relocating their administrative offices from their main facility to a new location.

About the Project

The project presented several major challenges. The newly leased 7,000 sf space would have to be ready within six months of the commencement of design, requiring a very tight schedule. Additionally, Settlement wanted the space turned into healthy, productive offices that its employees would enjoy working in; a special design challenge as the new space was windowless. LiRo was selected as the Architect for the project because of our proven record of innovation and our ability to develop creative solutions for difficult problems.

Project Challenges & Solutions

LiRo addressed the lack of windows by creating an interior colonnade for a virtual exterior-interior space; utilizing lateral in addition to overhead lighting; and simulated windows. The end-users at Settlement were delighted with the resulting light-filled space.