Crye Precision Headquarters at the Brooklyn Navy Yard is a multifaceted 100K square foot facility designed for the industry leader of protective armor. Located within a former Navy shipbuilding factory on the waterfront, this adaptive reuse of the historically landmarked site, completed in 2016, was an opportunity for architecture to play a role in creating spaces to gather, whether organized or impromptu. The scale of the project demanded clear programming and efficient building systems appropriate to various types of work. The inclusion of an innovative and technically challenging living forest landscape feature, designed by Verdant, added an unexpected element of pleasure that brought the architecture into clearer focus and helped the project to earn a 2020 AIANY Design Award.

This project was an exercise in logistical mastery, pairing a massive 100k square foot facility with city, state and national landmark status. Beyond a scrupulous timeline for permit approvals, Modellus Novus approached these challenges by designing for them, instead of around them, ultimately delivering the project on time and 3% under budget.

Photos by Aaron Thompson and Chris Payne