American studio MN DPC aimed to not "f*ck up" an old ship-building factory in Brooklyn, New York, while converting it into the vast and mixed-use Crye Precision Headquarters.
The 10,000-square-metre facility comprises a range of offices and manufacturing workshops, consolidating all of American brand Crye Precision's departments in one place. It is located in the waterfront Brooklyn Navy Yard, where a number of historic warehouses and ship-building facilities have been adaptively reused.
MN DPC's design aimed to prioritise the preservation of the old factory's huge steel structure, which was built in 1902, and ensure that any new elements were subordinate to it.
The project has since been shortlisted for rebirth project of the year at Dezeen Awards 2020. The entrance to Crye Precision Headquarters. Top image: the former engine-building hall
"In awe of the might and vastness of the original structure, we set out with a simple dictum in mind: don't f*ck it up," explained the studio.
"More than reverence, new architectural elements build upon the logic of the existing, echoing the materiality, detailing, rhythm and spirit of the original. Great efforts were made to blur the line between old and new."
The office and workshop spaces that flank the main hall
The headquarters were commissioned by Crye Precision to accommodate the growth of the company, which specialises in combat apparel and protection for military and medical professionals.
The old...