ISSUE Project Room (IPR) is a Brooklyn-based performance nonprofit presenting projects by interdisciplinary artists that expand the boundaries of artistic practice and stimulate critical dialogue. Following a comprehensive initial design study, WORKac’s renovation will improve the historic Jewel Box Theater in Downtown Brooklyn originally designed by McKim, Mead and White. With acoustic and theatre consultant ARUP, WORKac’s renovation of the venue will achieve state-of-the-art sound isolation and maximum adaptability for the extraordinary range of performance types hosted and nurtured by IPR.

To accommodate a range of stage configurations, the lighting uses a grid system of thin cables spanning the whole space, transparent enough to allow views of the 40ft-high vaulted ceiling. Integrated into a cornice-like structure below the lighting grid, a series of moveable scrims run the full height of the walls, creating a seamless projection surface and allowing the arcade-like openings behind to be opened or closed as needed. A mezzanine across the north end of the space takes advantage of the dramatic height and can be used as additional audience seating or technician access for specialized equipment.

The lobby and street entrance are a key focus of the design, with the goal of transforming a seemingly limited space into a desirable place to gather; share ideas at the bar; and access the box office, bathroom and coat check. The re-imagined space ensures full accessibility, complements community-focused programs and capitalizes on the vibrant informality vital to IPR’s role as a cultural hub.