Architettura

Centra at Metropark, by KPF, wins American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Honor Award

KPF's Centra at Metropark has been awarded a National Honor Award by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Institute's highest honor. KPF's repositioning of the 5-story, 110,000-square-foot Metropark property in Iselin, NJ, paves the way for future development in the area.
In the words of the jury, “the impact that this building has on the parkway has resulted in improvements of neighboring structures, proving that design can have a ripple effect in an otherwise mundane context.” The building is also recognized as “an excellent example of the value of creatively reusing existing buildings and their embodied energy in lieu of tearing down and building new.”
In the words of KPF Design Principal Hugh Trumbull, “At center stage, the powerful iconic column lifts the new addition 35 feet into the air, creating a grand canopy over the entry plaza.  It is in this new urban place, where people meet and greet one another, that nature is most present. The building frames and reframes the landscape; its skin captures the lush green environment and reflects natural light at every turn.”

Centra Metropark
The core challenge of Centra was to evaluate an existing property that needed to be master planned for a one-million-square-foot development and decide what to do with its first building. This led to the development of a project that has a very strong sustainable mindset but also takes on the challenge of redefining the paradigm of the New Jersey office park experience.
Through a few strategic additions and subtractions, 30,000 square feet of leasable area was added, which nearly doubled the building's presence. A 10,000-square-foot addition, floated from the fourth floor, mirrors the existing building's L-shaped plan, incorporates a new state-of-the-art curtain wall, and upgrades the building's infrastructure. The addition transformed this 1980s eyesore and opened its potential for future growth.
The project demonstrates a user-friendly approach by avoiding the common practice of siting blocks of buildings in vast seas of parking devoid of landscape. Minimizing movement from car to building allows one to embrace an urban/suburban campus aesthetic. Landscaped promenades, urban rooms, and closely spaced architecture create a strong community and sense of place. Together, the landscape and building form encourage social interaction and provide a healthier, more sustainable environment. Architecture and art play essential roles in shaping spaces and in focusing views and movement.
Situated in the heart of New Jersey, 40 minutes from downtown New York City and 20 minutes from Newark, the site occupies a strategic location between the Garden State Parkway, Amtrak's northeast corridor, and New Jersey Transit's commuter rail. A five-minute walk from the train station, the project can be seen clearly at the end of the street axis as the road bends away.

Additional Credit
Contractor: Tishman Construction
Engineer - MEP and FP: AMA Consulting Engineers
Engineer - Structural: DeSimone Consulting Engineers
Landscape Architect: Towers Golde
Lighting Design: S+S Lighting Design

Photo Credit
© Michael Moran/OTTO

Centra Metropark
Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox
Owner: Hampshire Real Estate Companies
Location: Iselin, New Jersey

Centra Metropark
186 Wood Avenue South
Location Iselin, NJ, USA
Client The Hampshire Companies
Type Office, Repositioning + Transformation
SIZE 110,000 ft2 / 10,000 m2
Leed Platinum

Awards
AIA National Chapter Honor Award (2013); AIA New Jersey Honor Award (2011); Engineering News Record Award of Merit (2011); Architect Magazine Annual Design Review: Work Category Citation (2011)

KPF's design for the renovation of the five-story, 110,000-square-foot (10,000-square-meter) Centra office building generates a strong horizontal composition of dark grey and clear glass.
The project's unique structure utilizes an asymmetrical tree-column and truss to support an extended fourth floor, providing a signature element for the project. A rectangular hole is carved in the center of the suspended fourth floor, allowing the sun to shower the ground-level grand entry plaza with light.
Surrounding pyramidal landscape forms further distinguish the site and help to create a dynamic visual presence for this suburban office building.