SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER, NEW YORK TOLERANCE CENTER

The Simon Wiesenthal New York Tolerance Training Center is an 18,000 square foot multi-media training facility focusing on the dynamics of racism and prejudice in America , international human rights, and the history of the Holocaust. HLB worked with the architectural firm NBBJ.

At the core of the center's design is the “Smart Wall,” a glowing, translucent multi-story structure which winds its way through the center, defining the individual exhibition areas. Dramatic, warm lighting accents were layered amidst the cool, luminous serpentine structures to create a rich, visual balance. Lighting throughout the space articulates the dynamic emotional experience though the use of contrast, motion, and color.

Visitors explore New York 's Jewish experience and civil rights history in a gallery designed as a subway platform. With overhead mechanical systems highlighted in blue fluorescent light, industrial lampholders accent content on the perimeter surfaces.