Credit: Fred Charles

General Theological Seminary, The Desmond Tutu Center

BBB transformed three turn-of-the-century buildings on the General Theological Seminary's campus to create an educational conference center and a new public face on Tenth Avenue.

The Desmond Tutu Center, in the Chelsea Historic District of Manhattan, welcomes visitors with a new urban garden and double-height entrance lobby. The redesigned interior includes conference rooms, break-out rooms, and 60 guest rooms, where modern amenities and contemporary design are juxtaposed against preserved 19th-century details. The historic oak-wainscoted Refectory in Hoffman Hall, with 40-foot-high vaulted ceilings, has been restored to its original decorative paint and gilding, and fitted out with a modern servery. The exterior of the building was restored as well, with double-glazed windows, a complete masonry restoration, and roof replacement. The Desmond Tutu Center was the first of three seminary buildings to be powered by a geothermal heating and cooling system, preserving the architectural integrity of the campus by eliminating the need for roof-level cooling towers.

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