Pirelli Building

A six story office and warehouse facility comprised of a lower slab and suspended block. A Brutalist icon designed by famous Modernist Marcel Breuer, the building is a landmark, clearly visible from the closely situated interstate highways. The precast concrete structure features a prominent yet simple pattern of crystalline planes and evenly distributed windows, and is in good condition despite the building’s vacancy over approximately the last 30 years. The building was commissioned by the Armstrong Rubber Company as a space for administrative offices as well as research and warehousing. It was later purchased by Pirelli, another tire company, for the same purpose. The majority of the structure’s base building was demolished by IKEA in 2003 to create a parking lot, an action which saw much opposition. Recently, the building was home to a year-long public art installation, during which many of the signs of extended vacancy were stripped away.

Armstrong Rubber Co. (1970-88)

Pirelli (1988-99)

New Haven (1999-2003)

Site was infilled in the mid-20th century, built up around

Originally functioned as a research, warehouse, and office facility for Armstrong tire Co. Later changed hands to Pirelli tire, serving mostly the same purposes.

The Pirelli building is located at the north end of Long Wharf industrial park, set on infill of the New Haven Harbor at the intersection of interstates 91 and 95. 

Concrete Piers separating space

The original Armstrong Rubber Co. sign was cleverly built into a standalone gardening shed so it could be built as tall as desired, allowing the prominent silhouette of the building itself to remain uninfluenced by sinage.

majority of lower warehouse slab was demolished to create larger parkinglot for IKEA warehouse located nextdoor.

Condition of remaining structure seems sound and relatively good, as seen personally from an exterior inspection and interior pictures from the art installation featured inside in 2017.