National Black Theatre proposes a convergence point for the growing creative population in Harlem. The National Black Theatre was founded in 1968 by Dr. Barbara Ann Teer and is among the oldest Black theaters in the country. In partnership with the development entity RAY created by Dasha Zhukova, the project uses the New York City Zoning Code Visual Performing Arts Bonus to propose a 240,000 square foot building on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 125th Street. The program includes a hotel, residential, retail, event space and a new home for the National Black Theatre. The theater replaces the existing single-story facility with two performance spaces surrounded by a generous foyer accessed by a grand stair from the Fifth Avenue lobby. A large span open event space above the theater creates a much needed venue Uptown while a small hotel anchors the tower above. The upper stories contain the residential units which are organized into two-story neighborhoods, each with a double height, south facing outdoor green space accessible to all in the neighbourhood. The building height of 245 feet allows for views of the Midtown Manhattan skyline, Central Park, Marcus Garvey Park and both the East and Hudson Rivers. A timber gridded structure on the south façade reveals the mass timber structure while providing essential shading to the neighbourhood green space. Glass fiber reinforced concrete façades limit unwanted solar exposure from the east and west while a transparent north façade embraces diffused light. The project incorporates numerous sustainable practices such as a mass timber structure, cladding of recycled material, finishes of renewable materials, energy conservation and sophisticated building automation.