WYEP 91.3 FM is an independent, listener-supported, non-profit public radio station that has chosen to make a leap from renter to building owner, in an effort to increase their programming mission, become more accessible to the public, and accommodate a growing staff. The design for their new building maximizes exposure to natural light and views on the interior by arranging the cluster of studio and other technical spaces in the center of the building, similar to the functional arrangement of the adjacent market house on Bedford Square, and placing all of the work areas for full-time staff on the perimeter. The primary entrance façade on the square presents a public face for the radio station, with a civic scale appropriate to its role as a public service institution. The project is designed for maximum performance relative to its building envelope, mechanical systems, use of daylighting, and materials selection for recycled content and low environmental impact. In addition to the relationship with its setting within a historic district, each side of the building is design to respond to the urban context as well as solar orientation. |