CARBONDALE’s design for the corner atrium in the BMW building is located at the corner of west 57th street and 11th avenue in Midtown West, Manhattan. Because the sight lines and highly reflective exterior corner glass façade prevented any effective views through to the interior, CARBONDALE resisted the initial forces to fill the space with multiple floor levels to maximize the number of automobiles displayed. Inversely, the design direction created an urban scaled stage-set by completely opening-up the 41ft high atrium volume and creating a monumental luminous backdrop with integrated vertical car display walls to visually draw the inside out to the heavily trafficked intersection.

The two immense interior walls that form the inverted corner backdrop to the atrium space are imbedded with programmable LED lights and edge-lit translucent etched glass respectively. A composition of rectangular openings punctuates the two walls over 3-levels framing and emphasizing a vertical display of and automobiles and motorcycles stairs, an elevator, and reception area.