NEW spirit cafe

Location: New York, NY
Date: 2000
Program: Cafe & Community Space

The New Spirit Café of Marble Collegiate Church in New York City’s Chelsea district embodies the balance between the concept of spirituality and artistic formalism. The nature of the space is to allow the spiritual search to take place in an urban gathering place, familiar at first, yet different on deeper reading. 

The space is developed to let in daylight, to be open yet to leave room for surprise, mystery, and interiority. Upon entering people can buy a simple meal and meet with friends, go to the lectures and performances in the back; or linger in the pool room in the center of the 17-foot high loft space. 

In the adjacent space, blue walls and ceilings and filtered natural light will eventually merge with the sound of softly dripping water in the pool room to complete the soothing, contemplative mood of the place where people go to be reenergized and to gather inner strength for their spiritual journey.

The pool room contains a 3 by 40 foot sheet of still water floating in a turquoise plaster tank. The surrounding room is finished with blue stained wood walls, slotted to let in the daylight from both sides. The blue wood ceiling is pierced by a recessed turquoise plaster slot which emanates indirect light to reflect off the surface of the pool.