Rockefeller Brothers Fund

New York, NY

Completion: 2009
Gross Area: 29,000 sf

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund selected FXFOWLE to design its new offices located in Manhattan's Morningside Heights. The resulting design creates an environment that resonates with trustees, staff, visitors and the nonprofit community it serves. A key feature of the offices at 475 Riverside Drive is the Grants Hub, a central place for staff to collaborate, discuss grant-related issues, and review proposals. The space both highlights the core business of the Fund, and serves to further improve operational efficiencies.  Before the move to the new offices, Fund staff had been examining their grantmaking processes, and experimenting with a place-based approach to reviewing grant materials.  FXFOWLE collaborated with the Fund to create a permanent, centrally located Grants Hub in its new offices. To counteract the low ceilings and small windows of the 1950s building, FXFOWLE embraced the sunlight by centrally locating glass-fronted offices. Centralizing the offices leaves the perimeter bright and open, allowing sunlight to reach the entire office.

FXFOWLE's vision for the Rockefeller Brothers Fund coincides with the organization's commitment to ensure that sustainability is incorporated holistically throughout the entire project. The office is designed to evoke the history and classic modern design aesthetics of the Rockefeller family, and achieved LEED certification from the United States Green Building Council. The interior's understated elegance is enriched with a neutral and natural palette, complemented by vintage Mid-Century furniture, custom millwork and recyclable materials, such as IceStone, bamboo, FSC-Certified Wood, and slate from Vermont. The office's layout blurs the boundaries between public and private with a flexible open-office plan to encourage better communication and collaboration amongst the Rockefeller Brothers Fund staff, trustees, and grantees.