The Perelman Performing Arts Center

The Perelman Performing Arts Center, located on the northeast corner of the World Trade Center complex in Manhattan, is a cultural venue for theater, dance, music, film and media.

Opened in 2023, the building incorporates three flexible performance spaces, a public plaza, terrace and restaurant. As a mark of respect for people paying tribute at the 9/11 Memorial, the façade design does not include any windows.

Brands: Gartner, Permasteelisa North America

Executive Architect: Davis Brody Bond

Design Architect: REX

Client: Sciame Construction

The project

The concept

Plans for the Performing Ars Center were first announced as part of the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site after the September 11 attacks. The stunning cube-shaped building is 36m tall, resting on a 6.4m high black granite pedestal.

What did we do?

We created the Perelman Performing Arts Center’s remarkable cubic façade made of Portuguese marble, which appears solid stone in the day and emits a warm amber glow at night. The marble was cut into 12mm thin slices, sealed with a resin and dried, before being laminated with an EVA film and assembled to form an insulating glass more than 50mm thick. Each stone tile was photographed and numbered separately, allowing the architect to determine its final position on the façade. We also carried out the steel works to create the trusses that formed the substructure of the façade.