Brooklyn Residential: Rethinking Home Design in New York’s Most Populous Neighborhood
New York City is defined by its architecture and, in turn, by the diversity of its lifestyles. As the country’s “metropolis”, it has also faced some of the toughest housing problems of any American city. From single-family homes to high-rise residential towers, housing has evolved at different rates and scales across boroughs. In turn, each district and county is home to a wide range of residential styles and housing solutions.
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The five boroughs came into existence with the creation of modern New York City in 1898 when they were consolidated into one municipal government under a new city charter. Named after the Dutch village of Breukelen, Brooklyn is located on the western end of Long Island in Kings County. It is the most populous borough in New York, holding approximately 30% of New York’s total population. From the first center of urbanization that appeared in the city of Brooklyn to the modern urban fabric, new housing projects are designed to reinvent life in the borough. The following drawings depict this changing landscape and provide insight into life for people in Brooklyn today.
As the design team stated, the evolution of life in cities is increasingly embracing nature, almost negating the urban character of neighborhoods. The design of a renovation and additions to a townhouse in Brooklyn is generated from the idea of merging interior space with the exterior landscape through the creation of ground pavilions with specific experiential qualities. Two main pavilions were juxtaposed to the existing building – so as to have an unobstructed view of the garden through the windows and also blurred views – obtained from the partial superimposition of a wooden screen on the additional facades.
Carroll House is a single family residence set in a typical Brooklyn corner lot of 25 x 100 feet. 21 shipping containers are stacked and cut diagonally up and down, generating a monolithic and private volume within the urban fabric. The diagonal cut changes the conventional ground floor backyard type and uses, allocating outdoor space to each level. At the same time, the walls of the container along the diagonal cut protect the outer space from passers-by. Large sliding glass walls create continuity between the interior space and the exterior private enclosed terraces.
Aperture 538 is a 10-unit multi-family residence located in the Clinton Hill, Brooklyn neighborhood on Washington Avenue. At the center of the exterior is a copper screen, finished in a Corten look, perforated with an abstract image of the Brooklyn Bridge and modified for light and air requirements. The flat, warm brown face of the building is intended to continue the rhythm of the brownstones present on Washington Avenue. Unlike the brownstones however, this face moves – the shutters in front of the windows and balconies can be opened to allow residents a direct view of the tree-lined street.
DUMBO townhouses are located at the corner of Pearl and Water streets in the Brooklyn neighborhood. The project includes the demolition of an existing one-story warehouse located in the historic section of DUMBO in Brooklyn and the new construction of 5 single-family homes. The total project includes approximately 18,000 gross square feet. Facing a newly designated public park, the building envelope is made of a series of high-performance Ductal concrete panels that provide shade and privacy for residents.
Originally built in 1889, this three-storey townhouse has been renovated to become a Certified Passive House with the aim of retaining as much of the building’s original character as possible, while significantly reducing its operational energy consumption . The envelope has been substantially insulated inside the building and new triple-glazed windows have been installed. Multiple interventions keep the building cool with minimal mechanical requirements, even in the ever hotter New York summers.
Located at the corner of 4th Avenue and 1st Street in Brooklyn’s coveted Park Slope neighborhood, 251 1st by ODA New York is a manifestation of the company’s commitment to improving the quality of life in urban areas. In this case, ODAs inflected the upper massing of the building with a cascade of setbacks and terraces, producing substantial outdoor space, as well as multiple exposures for the units. In addition to light and outdoor space, playing with massing in this way also provides a contextual nod.
The owners of this 11-foot-wide townhouse in Brooklyn were faced with a conundrum that many young New York families eventually face: the option of sacrificing location for space. After living in the house for eight years, the couple – architect and jewelry designer – chose to expand in order to make room for their two growing children and stay in the Brooklyn neighborhood they were. came to admire. The original 1000 square foot 2-story home was completely gutted and extended to 4 levels by adding a bedroom above and digging a new urban mudroom below.
Rather than an addition, O’Neill McVoy’s concept for this residential project was a thin, linear framed gazebo, contrasting with the heavy brownstone masonry. The 19th century brownstone remains exactly as it was, while the new pavilion, complete with kitchen and informal social space, sits next to it, against the original backyard wall with no mediating connection. Entering the pavilion from the living room floor of the house feels like entering the garden. Hybrid wood/steel framing members form an open truss structure to the changing seasonal landscape of Brooklyn backyards.
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