Why you should experience Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, NY.
Powerhouse Arts is a groundbreaking creative production center where Gowanus' industrial legacy, artistic innovation, and culture of making have transformed a historic power station into one of America's most ambitious destinations for contemporary art fabrication.
Set along Second Street near Third Avenue and just steps from the Gowanus Canal, this extraordinary arts campus anchors one of Brooklyn's most remarkable adaptive reuse projects, where a restored industrial landmark now houses fabrication studios, exhibition spaces, artist residencies, and public programs that celebrate creativity on an unprecedented scale. Originally constructed as the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company's Central Power Station in 1904, the monumental building supplied electricity to Brooklyn's expanding transit network before beginning a new chapter as a center for artistic production. Today, soaring industrial architecture, state-of-the-art workshops, and dynamic public spaces preserve the site's historic character while inspiring a new generation of artists and makers.
What you should know about Powerhouse Arts.
Powerhouse Arts is best known for transforming Brooklyn's 1904 Rapid Transit power station into a 170,000 square foot nonprofit fabrication center that supports ceramics, printmaking, public art, textiles, metalwork, and woodworking, creating one of the largest artist production facilities outside Hollywood-style studio campuses.
Designed by Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with PBDW Architects, the restoration preserved the historic Turbine Hall while constructing a complementary six-story addition that expanded the site's creative capabilities. The campus provides artists with advanced fabrication equipment, paid residencies, educational programs, exhibitions, and collaborative workspaces that are rarely available within New York City. By preserving an iconic industrial landmark while reinventing it as a factory for art and ideas, Powerhouse Arts continues Gowanus' manufacturing legacy through contemporary creative production.
How to fold Powerhouse Arts into your trip.
Powerhouse Arts fits naturally into an afternoon exploring Gowanus' industrial architecture, creative spaces, and evolving waterfront.
Begin by exploring the exhibitions and public spaces inside Powerhouse Arts before walking along the Gowanus Canal, where restored waterfront corridors reveal the neighborhood's remarkable industrial history. Afterward, continue to The Old Stone House, whose Revolutionary War history provides a fascinating contrast to Gowanus' manufacturing legacy before finishing your afternoon at Whole Foods Market Gowanus, whose rooftop public space offers sweeping neighborhood views and a relaxed place to unwind. Between destinations, take time to wander the surrounding streets where converted warehouses, independent galleries, public art, and local businesses illustrate why Gowanus has become one of Brooklyn's most dynamic creative districts.
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