The David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center

The David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center is a flexible facility for performance events, rehearsal, exhibitions, and education in the historic Orangerie at the Pocantico Center. An ambitious adaptive reuse, the project re-imagines the century-old Orangerie as a studio space for artists-in-residence that enhances the Center's public programs, advances the vision of a vibrant, multi-disciplinary campus, and encourages collaboration among artists, art presenters, and art patrons.

Aligned with the mission of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Center is a demonstration project for sustainable design, accessibility, and inclusion. The efficient electric design achieves more than 50% predicted energy reduction compared to a LEED v4 baseline, resulting in minimal operational energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. An array of photovoltaic (PV) panels is designed to generate more power than the building uses. Careful integration of interior and exterior spaces enables full access for artists and visitors of all abilities, and the multi-user all-gender restroom is the first of its kind in Westchester County, paving the way for more inclusive environments elsewhere. Working within the guidelines of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the historic structure has been restored, revitalized, and re-crafted into a dynamic new environment.