NordenPark
Norwalk, Conn.
Perkins Eastman

Hidden before its renovation, this project calls attention to its striking, new exterior

© Eduard Hueber

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

Built in the 1960s by Northrup Grumman, NordenPark served well as a high-level defense research facility. Architecturally, it was industrial and anonymous, purposely hidden from its location off Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Connecticut.

The new owners of NordenPark, however, sought to transform the dated research and development building into a contemporary office facility with a high-tech edge. While visibility had been previously avoided, the owners now wanted a visually stunning office park that would attract both tenants and the attention of highway motorists.

As a first step in repositioning 150,000 square feet of the 650,000 square-foot existing building, the exterior façade was stripped away and replaced with layers of tinted glass, colored light, and metal mesh to create a crisp first impression. The open mesh scrim wall adds drama and dimension to the exterior, and provides a framework for future tenants to express their identity with custom signage. While the blue and green color scheme defines the building, it is subtle enough not to overpower the natural surroundings. These scrim walls not only provide a vertical breakup of the horizontal façade, but also conceal stair doors that delineate private entrances for the tenants.

Continuing the dramatic overture of the exterior, the interior greeting and amenity spaces display a mix of texture and materials. The main lobby is the gateway to the activity hub: a centrally located, interconnected metal and wood stair placed to create motion, both architecturally and by facilitating natural pedestrian traffic. The café and fitness center carved out beyond the lobby open onto the revamped interior courtyard through a new, full-height glass curtain wall. The peaceful courtyard features a meditation garden, a casual dining setting, and a careful selection of plantings.

Formal name of Project:
NordenPark

Location:
Norwalk, Conn.

Gross square footage:
150,000 sq ft

Total construction cost:
$10 million

Owner:
Spinnaker Company
P.O. Box 110295
Stamford, CT 06911

Architect:
Perkins Eastman
115 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10003
Tel: (212) 353-7200
Fax: (212) 353-7676
www.perkinseastman.com