Ironworkers Training Facility

Ironworkers Training Facility in Long Island City, New York by Daniel Goldner Architects

New York City has two local ironworkers unions: Local 40 for structural steel and Local 580 for ornamental steel, consisting of curtain walls, storefronts, stairs, and the like. The latter is housed in an 18,000 s.f. conversion of a warehouse and auto body shop in Long Island City by Daniel Goldner Architects of New York. Given the nature of the client, it was natural for the building to act as a display for the union's abilities and to likewise inspire the apprentices in the three-year training program.

A variety of metals and applications is evident on the sidewalk. At pedestrian level, painted aluminum are broken by windows and doors in an irregular pattern. The canopy also uses painted aluminum panels, while next to a generous window below the canopy is an etched brass section. Bead-blasted stainless steel mesh is used above the first floor, veiling the brick wall of the existing building behind it, accentuated by gaps between the first and second floors. An overlap between the stainless above and aluminum below shows the projections allowed by the New York City Building Code (10" above 10'), though more importantly it illustrates the layering of old atop new that comes with renovations.

Inside, it's apparent the lobby is the showcase of the union's skills; ten different ornamental metals are used in this space alone! These include an L-shaped pre-painaed copper wall with brass fasteners, a bench made of stainless steel tubes, and a stair made of various metals. Like the lobby itself, the plethora of finishes and materials on the stair don't conflict with each other. Rather, a pleasing and cohesive environment is created, no doubt aided by the addition of other materials, including the slate and glass flooring.

Containing mock-up and work areas, welding booths, buring tables, a teacher's lounge, director's office, material storage and bathrooms, the training facility obviously fulfills its purpose. But moreso, as a part-time home for the apprentices in the three-year training to become ornamental ironworkers, the building around them acts as a three-dimensional example of what they can attain with contemporary means. This synthesis of the client's goals and design no doubt helped it earn a 2004 AIA New York Architecture Design Award for Daniel Goldner Architects.