©COOKFOX

The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music is dedicated to telling the story of music in this country and celebrating Bruce Springsteen’s contributions to that tradition. COOKFOX’s design seeks to express those interwoven themes. The building’s weathering steel façade references New Jersey’s industrial legacy and the protagonists of Springsteen’s music, and the mass timber structure creates authentic and welcoming interiors. …The building is constructed from sustainably harvested European glue-laminated and cross-laminated timber. Exposed beams, girders and columns of unstained wood are visible immediately; the timber’s inherent, tactile quality brings authenticity to the interior. The space reads as welcoming and grounding: just as a major chord produces innate, positive emotions, natural materials like timber inspire equally deeply-rooted feelings of warmth and familiarity. …Consistent with COOKFOX’s biophilic design approach, staff work areas are daylit, timber and other natural materials are used throughout, and views to nature are emphasized, creating an environment that supports health.