Tucked away between two looming New York City buildings on W30th is Rafael de Cardenas’ latest renovation project: the Black Ocean Firehouse.

What was once a proud New York City firehouse, is now the headquarters of Black Ocean, a digital media company. De Cardenas and his firm, Architecture at Large, designed the Black Ocean Firehouse to function as a communal workspace, where a variety of different scenarios including private offices or even large open-office layouts exist. Aside from the company specific spots, there are collective areas throughout the building including a back courtyard, a rooftop terrace, and a ton of seating.

Don’t be fooled by the dark and neo-gothic exterior of the converted firehouse – the 1890’s structure is nothing but wide, open spaces with bright fluorescent lighting on the inside. The pristine white walls are accented with dark, brooding décor mixed in with earthy wood tones and light fixtures that pop. The light, wooden paneled floors boldly stand out against the black doors and fixtures.

Inviting and vivid interiors really make Black Ocean Firehouse a noteworthy place for start-ups to start making their mark. The strategic layout of the spaces is an ideal communal, creative hub, where eccentric minds can feed off one another. Black Ocean Firehouse proves to be a cosmopolitan flame, burning bright in the architectural landscape of Manhattan – and a stunning place for start-ups to dream big.

Photography courtesy of Architecture at Large