Inside NYU’s Latest Architectural Landmark Near I.M. Pei’s Iconic Silver Towers

NYU has no shortage of noteworthy architecture, and the institution’s most recent addition is no exception. Rising beside I.M. Pei’s brutalist Silver Towers, the green-glass John A. Paulson Center houses an athletic complex, theater and music rehearsal and performance spaces, first-year student and faculty residential towers, and a new commons area. It also contains more classroom space than any other building on campus. Tasked with furnishing and finishing this wide array of facilities, Spacesmith collaborated with the architectural teams at Davis Brody Bond and KieranTimberlake, as well as the university’s Office of the Provost, to outfit the expansive mixed-use building. In the double-height spaces, curved walls are wrapped in wood fins that add rhythm and texture while signaling architectural elements such as skylights, auditoriums, and circulation cores. One grand balcony overlooking the cityscape features tall black panels etched with Manhattan’s urban grid in white. Custom-designed upholstery fabrics reference the university’s signature purple alongside the russet tones of neighboring buildings. In select areas, planters and sculptural seating snake across concrete floors, creating dynamic pockets for conversation. The scope also encompassed the design and layouts for the 425-bed dormitory, establishing a comfortable home away from home for students in the heart of Greenwich Village.

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