By evoking in our home Places the pattern of life unique to each, we create gateways connecting us to the patterns of life of our earth and her place in the universe.
Buildings are Geography
Our buildings are interventions in the geography and biology of the city. At 329 Broadway in Williamsburg, Brooklyn we see the building as a hillock, one full of the activities of those who live, work and shop in the living interior of the feature in Brooklyn's landscape.
There are no mere roofs here - every surface on top of the building is used for recreation and reflection, and many are planted with community gardens, contemplative Places, places to barbeque and, from the Aerie on the very top roof, catch some rays while looking out over the city and the region.
We even create a bridge connecting the new building to an 8,000 sf garden on the roof of the church next door (which has the benefit of significantly increasing the development potential of the site).
This project is now under construction. We will keep you posted.
IDEAS ANIMATE ARCHITECTURE
The Places we create through our practice are animated by Ideas. These Ideas provide the vitality, the surprises, the art experiences that make our architecture more remarkable than the sum of its parts, or the expression of mere functionality.
Many of our Ideas are about ways our architecture can help our communities be more sustainable. For example we are pioneers in the design of high-efficiency / Passive House certified multi-family housing. We are also creating one of the first Cross Laminated Timber multi-family dwellings in NYC.
Other Ideas enhance the culture and experience of our cities, such as PlaceMaking, and seeing each of our buildings as integral to the geology and biology of its locale, something we explore through our work in the practical application of Bioregionalism..
In every design opportunity we search out the unique Ideas that synthesize the goals and culture of our clients with the actualities of place, biology, regulations, and the myriad practical considerations informing our projects.
Keep an eye on this page to see more detailed explorations of the Ideas we are working with.