The NoVo Foundation, formed by Buffett’s son Peter and his wife, Jennifer, has chosen an architecture firm headed by Yale University architecture dean Deborah Berke to convert a former women’s prison in New York City into a center for women’s and girls’ rights groups.

NoVo and the Goren Group, a real estate developer, searched for a women-owned architecture company for the project, choosing Deborah Berke Partners over 40 applicants. Construction is to begin next year, with the building to open by 2020. No cost estimate has been given.

The 100,000-square-foot Women’s Building will be “a hub of activism” for women’s groups, NoVo said, allowing them to collaborate and freeing them from expenses such as rent and utilities so they can focus on their missions. The foundation is funded by annual contributions by Warren Buffett.

NoVo and Goren said Berke has promoted the advancement of women in architecture throughout her career. For the final design, Berke’s group is to consult with women’s groups that will occupy the building.

In a statement, Pamela Shifman, executive director of the NoVo Foundation, said, “Deborah Berke and her team are the perfect partners to join us as we continue this journey, turning a shared vision of a space for liberation, equality and justice for all girls and women into a concrete reality.”

Jennifer and Peter Buffett said in a statement that the building will be “a bold statement about what is possible for New York and the world.”