Places & culture · Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Domino, reimagined.
Architecture · Places & culture
At The Refinery at Domino, a new workplace sits inside a familiar brick landmark. The building is a story of its own.
A building inside a building
The Refinery at Domino is the former sugar-refinery landmark on the Williamsburg waterfront. For its conversion, architecture studio PAU placed a new glass building within the historic brick shell. The design makes room for usable office floors and daylight while keeping the old masonry visible.
PAU describes the space between those two structures as part of the experience: light, planting, and views of the weathered brick. Above it, the curved glass roof references the arches of the original windows. The old exterior gives the building its identity; the new structure lets it serve another purpose.
A place for new work
The project was commissioned by Two Trees, with a program that includes offices, event space, and ground-floor food, drink, and retail. Knocking publicly announced its studio lease here in September 2024. That places media production within the building’s next chapter, alongside its broader life as a workplace.
For The Know, the interesting part is the setting: an industrial landmark continuing to shape how a place looks and feels while the work inside changes. A recognizable building can carry a story across generations of businesses. Here, the architecture makes that change visible.
See it from the waterfront
Domino Park is the public way to explore this stretch of the East River. Its promenade, elevated walkway, and Refinery Plaza put the building in the context of the surrounding neighborhood. Use the park’s official visitor information to plan a walk; access to offices, studios, and private events is separate.
This is an opening for our New York coverage: places with a distinct identity, and the people and brands building around them. From Brooklyn’s waterfront to the businesses we follow in Las Vegas, we’re interested in what gives a place a character people remember.
Sources & further reading
Public project and visitor information, with commentary from The Know.