Robert De Niro hopes to bring a little more Hollywood to New York City with the construction of a new movie studio in Queens, and the Oscar-winning actor has enlisted famed Scandinavian architect Bjarke Ingels to make it happen.
Backed by De Niro, his real-estate broker son, Raphael De Niro, Tribeca Enterprises CEO Jane Rosenthal, and Wildflower Ltd. (partners include Adam Gordon and Matthew Dicker), Wildflower Studios will be a massive 650,000-square-foot space, and will cost $400 million to create. Renderings reveal a futuristic angular-shaped building and lots of green space. Large windows will let light flood into common areas, which will be filled with interior balconies overlooking open-plan seating. Unique embedded exterior balconies will also give those working in the building a nature-filled refuge.
"It has been incredible to work with such an iconic cast of collaborators from all aspects of visual media to imagine the future of film production in New York City," Ingels said in a statement. "Due to the unique space conditions of working on an urban site, we were challenged by Wildflower to distill all the physical, logistical, technical, and experiential aspects of film production into a one-of-a-kind vertical village for film."
Even the functional spaces designed for film and TV production will be stunning. Large bay openings to fit equipment, vehicles, sets, and more will feature light-colored perforated wood walls, skylights, and space for planted greenery.
"This studio is a testament to the strength and future of the New York film and television production industry," the Godfather Part II star said in a statement. "Completion of this project ensures that future generations of producers, directors, writers, and storytellers will play a vital role in filmed entertainment in New York for years to come."