lower east side 5 unit housing

beginnings

A 5 Unit Housing development in the Lower East Side created a chance to compose conversations between a new approach to housing and the historic neighborhood. The LES, injected with its identity of being the neighborhood that built Manhattan, deemed to be the one neighborhood which can utilize a new architecture to not just progress the area but also acknowledge its foundational roots and personality.

site

The site sits just at the finish line of the Williamsburg Bridge at what is currently being occupied as a parking lot, rather a lack of possible public usage. At the corner of Broome Street & Suffolk, the Five Unit Housing is adjacent to its older sister project, the Forty Unit Housing. This development was encouraged to be of the same architectural language and concept as its sister.

program

1// Studio Apartment
2// Two Bedroom Apartments
3// Three Bedroom Apartments
4// Lobby & Bike Storage
5// Public Garden

approach

With the site being the threshold to enter to island of Manhattan via the Williamsburg Bridge, the process began with understanding what exactly the threshold was and how we interact within it. The wall has the opportunity to create thresholds - entrances to new space through time - thus, it was appropriate to allocate the concept of the wall with the LES being the threshold for immigrants to be a component of Manhattan. There was a significant challenge held in the forefront of the design with the intent that all inner workings of the apartment units i.e. circulation, kitchen, toilet, mechanical, and servicing programs would be embedded within the wall. In doing so, the actual living quarters and spaces would inherently be separated from the wall - a sort of anchor displaying the living spaces segregated from the utilitarian spaces.

public space

Public space held in the small site immediately meant that it was to be intimate and contained. To further emphasize the monolithic wall, the terrain was carved which introduced a sunken courtyard for the residents with a gradual sloping entrance to access bike storage and elevator access. 

presentation works