MINI's A/D/O creative space in Brooklyn closes permanently due to pandemic

Car brand MINI is closing A/D/O, its creative hub in Brooklyn, blaming the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

A/D/O said that MINI will not renew investment "given the current climate of uncertainty resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic" in a statement released today.

Its rentable studios The Workspace, The Shop and the open space for casual working, exhibitions and events, will be shut by 31 May.

"A/D/O was launched by MINI to empower the design community to explore creative solutions to improve urban life and it has always been a communal effort," said A/D/O managing director Nate Pinsley.

"We are profoundly grateful to our Greenpoint neighbours, the international creative community and our Brooklyn-based team and partners who made this unusual endeavour into something truly unique."

URBAN-X by MINI accelerator to continue virtually

The Rule of Thirds restaurant by Sunday Hospitality Group, which opened last month in place of the initial Norman eatery, will continue to operate separately.

The car brand will also continue with URBAN-X by MINI, its accelerator for startups focused on city life. It said the initiative will continue to function virtually during the pandemic and later find a new physical space.

Established in an old warehouse 2017, following a conversion designed by New York studio nArchitects, A/D/O was intended as a space for designers and the public to congregate and share ideas.

A/D/O hosted design exhibits and talks

Over the past three years, it held a series of design-focused talks including the Spirit of the City series with Dezeen, and small-scale exhibitions, such as a temporary clay-extruding factory designed by London studio Assemble.

It also presented a pavilion as part of the city's annual design festival NYCxDesign festival, with projects such as Studio INI's morphing canopy and United Visual Artists gold-mirrored columns.

"Although we've made the difficult decision to close our doors, we're confident the idea which has permeated everything we've done – the belief that good design can change the world – will continue to inspire everyone who has been a part of our journey," Pinsley added.

Museums, events and shows are shut, cancelled or postponed

The coronavirus pandemic has caused lockdown restrictions in countries across the globe and an economic downturn that has been likened to the 2008 financial crash.

Across the world, museums have been shut and events and shows have either been cancelled or postponed due to the crisis further stifling activity. These include Salone del Mobile and the Venice Architecture Biennale, which are considered the design and architecture industry's biggest events.

A number of creative businesses are at risk and fear they could go out of business as the economy slows down. The American Insitute of Architects recently asked for improved aid, including loans and tax breaks, to help architecture firms in the US.

Photograph is courtesy of A/D/O.

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