This project addresses issues of poor accessibility at the waterfront of Williamsburg by introducing a handicap accessible elevated walkway. The walkway serves as re-introduced link between the site and the Williamsburg bridge. Strategies of encouraging community cooperation were introduced via a large interior courtyard filled with a vertical garden along with each apartment having its own “stoop” to create interior street-life for the inhabitants.
The project started off by an analysis of SHoP architects' proposal, where the scale of the buildings were out of scale compared to its surrounding context. They were able to achieve such great height through the manipulation of square footage, and at the same time respecting the FAR restrictions
the current proposal by SHoP Architects (diagram done by bonnie yu)
proposed masterplan at williamsburg: FAR was transferred to create more open space without losing any square footage
programs in the proposed masterplan
After designing the masterplan of the site, site E was chosen to be developed further due to its complex nature. While taking the disconnect communities in apartment buildings into consideration, the projects aimed to not only reconnect the city fabric but also to build up further connections inside the housing project.
A vertical communal garden is introduced as one of the key elements that bond the building. In the atrium, the residents can plant any vegetables they want through the hydroponic system. In addition, every unit has its own stoop to encourage them to step out of their house. With the stoop, residents can have plants outside.
elevation of site E
massing diagram of site E
building section showing the different programs
unit layout
axonometric diagram showing the common area
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