MINI founded A/D/O as a way to explore innovations that improve life in urban areas.
The expansive, open space is divided into seven main areas:
1. The Design Academy: A program focused on catalyzing creative endeavors among local design professionals.
2. The Workspace: A 24-seat co-working studio that is currently accepting applications. Desk rates start at $600/month.
3. A retail shop offering a curated selection of design goods.
4. Norman: A Scandinavian-influenced restaurant and cafe headed by chefs Fredrik Berselius (Aska) and Claus Meyer (Great Northern Food Hall and Agern).
5. URBAN-X: An accelerator for start-ups by MINI and HAX.
6. Communal spaces that will open to the public, including some co-working areas.
7. An outdoor special projects gallery that will showcase large-scale installations.
nARCHITECTS retained much of the former warehouse’s character in the new design.
The large space at the intersection of Banker Street and Norman Avenue was previously home to the Brooklyn Night Bazaar.
Several sections of the building’s graffitied brick facade were punched out to create floor-to-ceiling windows that let natural daylight into the space. The centerpiece of the hub’s communal space is its sculptural “periscope” that functions as both a focal point and a skylight.
The symbolic piece uses mirrors to blend reflections of the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines into a single image.
A/D/O is set to open to the public some time this January. A 3-day design festival is scheduled to be held in the space from January 27-29, 2017.
