TYPE: MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAM: RETAIL, COMMUNITY FACILITY & MULTIFAMILY

AREA: 510,000 GSF

300 QUALITY HOUSING UNITS

125 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS

35,000 GSF AFFORDABLE & MKT RETAIL

FREE PUBLIC BIKE PARKING FACILITY

ALL ELECTRIC BUILDING

STATUS: IN DESIGN

Smart urban design places density on underutilized commercial corridors - creating Inclusionary Housing, Affordable Retail, Community Services, Friendly Sidewalks and Safe Streets. Atlantic Avenue is one of the few vibrant commercial corridors in Brooklyn that can offer a 120 feet Right of Way, allowing the placement of height & density on this site based on successful form-based zoning strategies. We worked with City Planners to create a compelling, transit-oriented development that can pay for itself and give back to the neighborhood, the city & the environment.

Three big design challenges emerged: solar access for the neighbors to the north, their visual access, and a burden on the city’s existing infrastructure. We solve the first two challenges by elegantly solar carving the building. By using the sun like a subtractive 3D printing tool to carve the zoning prescribed building blocks, allowing solar access for neighbors. The solar carving then gives the building a gem-like faceted façade with setbacks, providing opportunities for green roofs. In addition, we utilize vertical fins on the north to scale the façade down to the 3 to 4 story surrounding walkup buildings. These vertical fins mitigate the morning and evening solar heat gain while acting as privacy blinders in peripheral views of the existing neighbors. These façade strategies solve for solar access, visual privacy and sustainability at the same time.

Sustainability has to be inherent in a dense development like this. Armed with a high performing façade and a skin of green roofs & high albedo paving, this building will reduce its burden on the city infrastructure. All cooking & power demands will be served by electricity which will improve the indoor air quality as we support New York City’s pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.