David Zwirner Gallery
537 West 20th Street
New York
Tel: 212.517.8677
Architect: Selldorf Architects
Amidst Chelsea’s sea of rehabilitated brick warehouses and sleek glass high-rises, the new David Zwirner gallery is a distinct yet subtle departure from the usual spaces where art is on display. This spacious five-story building, with an exposed concrete facade and warm teak paneling and window frames, at once fits within the natural character of the neighborhood and stands out for its enticing mix of raw and warm materials, clean lines, and prominent scale. Annabelle Selldorf, who has worked with Zwirner on several of his galleries over the last 20 years, designed this 30,000-square-foot building to include galleries, office space, art storage and handling areas, and private viewing rooms.
“Having worked with David Zwirner on so many other gallery projects, I understood his attitude toward the display of art quite well, and the distribution of natural light in the space was a key organizing principle,” said Selldorf.
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The expansive, column-free gallery on the ground floor is outfitted with sawtooth skylights and concrete floors for large-scale installations; the second floor provides an intimate exhibition space with white oak floors and side windows.
The light-filled gallery not only provides an ideal space to view artworks by the likes of Dan Flavin and Donald Judd, but has also integrated energy-efficient strategies—such as green roofs and responsibly-sourced materials— that will soon make the space the first LEED certified commercial art gallery in the nation.