Search Results for: prefab

If you've walked down Chinatown's Canal Street then you're certainly familiar with a string of stores at 312-322 Canal Street hawking cheap souvenirs to tourists and passersby. After a proposal to renew the depressed stretch of shops with a brand-new brick construction failed to pass Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) muster in 2011, a new, much more ambitious plan to replace the ramshackle building has finally emerged.
more details this way

New Developments

January 13, 2017

Third lottery opens at Pacific Park Brooklyn, apply for 303 affordable units from $532/month

Last spring, the first housing lottery opened at Pacific Park Brooklyn when 181 affordable units at SHoP's 461 Dean Street (the world's tallest modular tower) came online. It was followed a few months later by 298 openings at 535 Carlton Avenue, COOKFOX's entirely affordable building, and now the third set of apartments for low- to middle-income New Yorkers is open. SHoP Architects also designed an all-affordable building at 38 Sixth Avenue, adjacent to the Barclays Center, and as of today these 303 residences are up for grabs, ranging from $532/month studios to $3,695/month three-bedrooms. Households earning between 101 and 165 percent of the area media income (or up to $173,415 annually) are eligible for 198 of the units, while 105 units are set aside for those earning between 30 and 100 percent (as low as $20,126 a year).
More details and the whole qualification breakdown

January 9, 2017

Built in Poland and shipped in pieces, NYC’s biggest modular hotel project is 55 percent complete

By Michelle Cohen

The 20-story, 300-room project at 185 Bowery was constructed in Poland and shipped to New York in 210 pieces. Owned by Dutch hotel developer/operator Citizen M with Brack Capital Real Estate, the high-rise hotel at 185 Bowery is more than half done, reports the Wall Street Journal. It will be the largest permanent modular hotel project ever in NYC. Modular construction is more common in Europe; the developer already has nine hotels up and running and 14 in the works. They’ve used the technique of stacking sealed, factory-made units containing finished hotel rooms on the majority of those projects.
Check out photos of the sealed hotel pods arriving

November 15, 2016

See new photos inside the world’s tallest modular tower; leasing kicks off at 461 Dean

It's been a long an tumultuous journey for 461 Dean, also know as the B2 tower, and better known as the world's tallest prefab tower. The fire-engine-red stacked building has seen numerous delays in the last four years thanks to lawsuits, leaks, and alignment issues. Its developer Forest City Ratner even opted to exit the modular business last month—although that's not to say that the technology developed is any less valuable (more on that ahead). But now that celebratory champagne bottle can finally be popped, as this afternoon the developer held a grand opening ceremony to kick off the official start of leasing.
more details here

October 4, 2016

Wood-Clad Long Island home by Bates Masi takes inspiration from Quaker architecture

Simplicity, humility and inner focus were key to early Quaker architecture, principles that also inspired Bates Masi + Architects' latest project. The beautiful Underhill home sits in Matinecock, a village within Oyster Bay, Long Island, on the site of an old Quaker settlement. It's composed of a series of interconnected wooden pavilions topped by angled gabled roofs, "each one focused inward on its own garden courtyard instead of out to the surrounding neighbors," according to the firm.
Learn more about this Quaker-inspired home

Architecture And Design

September 13, 2016

Bates Masi + Architects focused on acoustics for this Hamptons house design

By Emily Nonko

At this Hamptons home, the owners gained a true luxury once it was ready to live in: silence. Project architects Bates Masi paid particular attention to the architectural acoustics in order to limit the noise from the nearby town of Amagansett. Their focus defined nearly every detail of the interior, as well as the materials used. The result is a truly stunning beach house with sustainable, built-to-last materials that contribute to a unique acoustic character as you move through each living space.
See the interior this way

Architecture And Design

June 15, 2016

Design Teams Propose Inflatable Tunnel, New Train Lines As Solutions to L Train Shutdown

Among the proposals gaining steam to mitigate the imminent L train shutdown are the East River Skyway, an aerial gondola system that would run along the Brooklyn waterfront and into Manhattan, and a car-free 14th Street. But the Van Alen Institute wanted to open the brainstorming to the wider public. As part of their "L Train Shutdown Charrette," this past Sunday, six interdisciplinary design teams who were selected as finalists presented their creative and fanciful proposals, including everything from a floating inflatable tunnel to an all-access transportation pass called Lemonade Line. The winning design "Transient Transit – Revitalizing Industrial Infrastructure" comes from Kohn Pedersen Fox and Happold Engineering, who propose utilizing Newtown Creek for a water shuttle and the LIRR freight tracks for passenger service.
More on the winner and some of the notable honorable mentions

Lottery Launches for 181 Affordable Units in Pacific Park’s Modular Tower

Photo of the construction progress at 461 Dean Street in January, via Field Condition

April 27, 2016

Lottery Launches for 181 Affordable Units in Pacific Park’s Modular Tower

After suffering delays, lawsuits, leaks and alignment issues, Pacific Park's 461 Dean Street (aka the B2 Tower) is finally wrapping up construction and has just launched its affordable housing lottery. The 32-story structure from SHoP Architects will be the world's tallest prefab tower, and of its 363 units, 181 will be available to low- and middle-income households. This will range from $559/month studios to $3,012 two-bedrooms and from individuals earning $20,675 annually to families of four earning $144,960.
Get a look at the apartments and find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

April 25, 2016

Innovative 1931 Long Island ‘Skyscraper House’ Was Built by the Father of Palm Springs Modern

By Michelle Cohen

In a 1932 article in Modern Mechanix magazine, the design of this three-story Long Island “skyscraper house” was touted as the “latest in homes,” with an all-metal frame and glass walls. What the story doesn’t mention is that this little house in the ‘burbs was designed as a case study home by noted architects Albert Frey (who spent his early years in Le Corbusier's studio) and A. Lawrence Kocher. Known as the Aluminaire House, this diminutive dwelling is among the earliest examples of European-inspired modern architecture in the eastern U.S.. It was included by Philip Johnson in a MoMA exhibit in 1931 that later became the manifesto for the International Style of architecture–one of only six American buildings in the show to exemplify the style. With the Coachella music festival in the recent spotlight, visions of Palm Springs-style desert homes have been popping up at every turn, and though this little skyscraper house couldn't be further away geographically, its co-creator Albert Frey is known for establishing the "desert modernism" style exemplified in those iconic Palm Springs homes. And as with many ideas in the ultra-creative 1930s, the construction of this Modernist gem in 1931 was well ahead of its time.
Find out more about the story and future of Aluminaire House

Architecture And Design

April 24, 2016

CCS Architecture’s Watermill Residence Is a Modernist Starter Home in the Hamptons

If you think the Hamptons is only for Hollywood stars who can afford the glitz and glamour of life, you might want to look at the summertime playground's hidden gems like CCS Architecture's Watermill Residence. The modest retreat was designed for a developer who wanted to sell property to new buyers at a moderate price level. A perfect starter home, it offers a down-to-earth vibe thanks to the architects' simplicity and casual modernist taste.
Learn more about this casual retreat

Architecture And Design

April 12, 2016

Miko Mercer Is Building a 160-Square-Foot Tiny House in Crown Heights

By Michelle Cohen

Brooklyn resident Miko Mercer, 30, joined the Tiny House Movement, and she's done more than just take a passing interest. The New York Times recently visited Ms. Mercer and the 160-square-foot DIY dwelling she's constructing, not on a homesteader's plot, but inside a big Crown Heights warehouse. Mercer, who runs the skin care division at popular beauty subscription service Birchbox and draws a six-figure income, still found that, as a single person, she couldn't afford to buy a home in a city where the average price of an apartment is $1.7 million. She ordered a trailer bed, leased the warehouse space and got to work, designing the house herself using a 3-D modeling application called Sketchup, meticulously managing the budget using a spreadsheet. She puts the estimated cost of her tiny house at about $30,000.
Find out what's in the plans for this tiny home

Architecture And Design

March 25, 2016

LM Guest House Takes Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Designs to a Greener Level

Manhattan-based architects Arjun Desai and Katherine Chia, the husband and wife behind Desai/Chia, were commissioned to design a Hudson Valley retreat that would combine the look and feel of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's ultra-minimalist Farnsworth House with high sustainable standards. Situated on a rock outcropping overlooking a typical stretch of Dutchess County farmland, LM Guest House is a pre-fab contemplative retreat for weekend visits. Its glazed skin affords expansive views, and among its planet-friendly features are geothermal heating and cooling, natural ventilation, solar panels, and a system for rainwater collection.
Learn more about this ultra-minimal green home

March 3, 2016

Renzo Piano’s Ship-Like Academic Center Coming to Columbia’s Manhattanville Campus

By Ondel Hylton

On a triangular lot, where north-skewing West 125th Street meets West 129th Street, the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) and Dattner Architects have crafted a 56,000-square-foot, ship-like structure for Columbia University's Manhattanville Campus. Known as the University Forum and Academic Conference Center, the three-story building will host academic conferences, meetings, and symposia. It will contain a 430-seat auditorium, meeting rooms, and gathering spaces. According to Piano's page, "The building looks like a ship levitating above the light and transparent Urban Layer." Its prow points westward and may be just small enough to sail under the Riverside Drive Viaduct and into the Hudson River.
More details ahead

<b>Designer Gift Guide: 10 NYC Creatives Share What They’re Giving (and Want) This Holiday</b>

Image: skyline illustration adapted from Linda Eliasen’s “There’s no place like home.” Prints available for purchase here.

December 16, 2015

Designer Gift Guide: 10 NYC Creatives Share What They’re Giving (and Want) This Holiday

Who better to ask for unique gift ideas than those with an eye for the amazing? This year, 6sqft asked 10 New York City designers, architects and artists to share five things that they're gifting this holiday season—as well as what they'd love to get their hands on for themselves! Ahead you'll find 50 fantastic gift ideas for every budget and for every kind of person on your gift list, from the techie to the design buff to your pal with kids to the hip hop and "Star Wars" nerds in your life. Start checking off your holiday shopping list here!
Check out all the gifts here

November 24, 2015

Inside a Manhattan Couple’s Modern Woodland Escape Designed by Resolution: 4 Architecture

A city couple commissioned Resolution: 4 Architecture to come up with a site-specific home for escaping their busy Manhattan lives on the weekend. Located on a sloped wooded terrain in Kent, not too far from the city, the beautiful Lakeside House combines wooden interiors, classic furniture items and privileged views onto the mirrored waters of the Sagamore Lake. Although bright and airy inside, the modern dwelling is grounded and strong and relates to its site through the use of natural materials.
Learn more about this traditionally modern home

November 9, 2015

Tiny House ‘MUJI Huts’ Will Start at Just $25,000

For lovers of the tiny house movement and eco-design, it was pretty big news when environmentally conscious, "no-brand" Japanese household company MUJI announced that they'd be launching three tiny prefab cabins called MUJI Hut. The three models are of varying materials (wood, cork, and aluminum) and size, created by three well-known designers (Naoto Fukasawa, Jasper Morrison, and Konstantin Grcic). One is envisioned as a true tiny home for living off the grid, another as a vacation retreat, and the third as a place to temporarily escape. The models first launched last week at Tokyo Design Week, but now Spoon & Tomago has uncovered the pricing, which ranges from $25,000 to $40,000.
Get inside all three designs

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers!

October 22, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week,10/22-10/28

By Lori Zimmer

This month, meet Detroit's art power-house 1xRun before they finish their New York residency at two great takeover events at Reed Space and at my show "Calm Before the Storm." Focus your art gaze south at FiDi's World Trade Gallery, or head to Dark Victoriana for a history-meets-Halloweeny experience. The Aperture Foundation has their annual extravaganza at Terminal 5, and Michael Arenella gives us a time machine of Old New York at the classic Algonquin Hotel. The Wythe Hotel will host a screening of "Notorious Mr. Bout" followed by cocktails and live music. Finish it off by donning your best nautical-inspired gear and grab a cocktail at Sailors, Sirens and Sea Monsters, a closing party for "Calm Before the Storm"—hosted by me!
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

September 22, 2015

10 ways to make a studio apartment feel bigger

By Rebecca Paul

Our new series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week we look at the space and storage struggles that come with studio living. Every New Yorker knows far too well the challenges associated with small living spaces. However, for the folks living in studio apartments, they need to be experts. While we love the beautiful vintage furniture and lush apartment plants that spruce up our digs, when thinking about decorating a studio, one should first start with the basics of good planning and smart design. For our many space-challenged readers, we've put together some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your limited square footage.
10 tips to try out here

September 18, 2015

SHoP Architects Are Bringing a Wooden Condo Building to Chelsea

In March, an Austrian architecture firm announced plans to build the world's tallest wooden skyscraper in Vienna. They noted that by using wood as opposed to concrete they'd save 3,086 tons of CO2 emissions. Then, a study showed that timber buildings actually cost less to build. These benefits really must have stuck with SHoP Architects, who are developing plans for a ten-story residential building in Chelsea, overlooking the High Line at 475 West 18th Street, that will be made entirely of wood, according to the Wall Street Journal. SHoP's project came via a competition hosted by the United States Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Softwood Lumber Board and the Binational Softwood Lumber Council, that asked architecture firms to design buildings at least 80 feet tall that employed wood construction technologies. SHoP's design, dubbed 475 West, won the competition along with a 12-story building in Portland. The firms will split a $3 million prize to "embark on the exploratory phase of their projects, including the research and development necessary to utilize engineered wood products in high-rise construction."
More on the project here

September 14, 2015

Resolution: 4 Architecture’s Romantic Brooklyn Townhouse Renovation Is a Bevy of Soft Textures

By Rebecca Paul

This beautiful four-bedroom Brooklyn townhouse was renovated by the New York architecture firm and 6sqft favorite Resolution: 4 Architecture. The project added a significant addition to a traditional single family row house, bringing with it a new roof deck and sleek media room. The interior palette consists mostly of white and neutral wood tones enhanced with poppy adornments like large floral wall art or boldly colored accent walls. Expansive windows dominate the communal areas, making each space feel open and airy regardless of the square footage.
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Image via Field Condition

September 3, 2015

Leaks and Alignment Issues Plaguing Atlantic Yards’ B2 Tower Were More Severe Than Reported

When it was announced that Brooklyn would be host to the world's tallest prefab tower, many believed that a new era of construction was upon us. Called the B2 Tower, the building would rise as stacked 32-story structure, affording all the perks of a conventional edifice, but be quick and inexpensive to build. But as it has been well-documented, the project, announced way back in 2012, has been a major flop. Stricken with delays and countless lawsuits flying left and right, the building today has only reached about half of its height. So where did things go so wrong? A fascinating piece by the Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Report's Norman Oder on City Limits provides some incredible insight into the project that has failed to deliver on just about every promise put forward.
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August 26, 2015

Get Intimate With Your Morning Cup of Joe; The History of 4th Avenue’s Book Row

Single and lonely? The Kiss coffee cup lid can bring a little intimacy to your daily routine. [designboom] City Tech students created a prefabricated “apartment of the future,” which will compete in the 2015 Solar Decathalon. You can tour it now at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. [DNAinfo] The history of NYC’s lost Book Row on […]

Uncategorized

August 7, 2015

Adult Ball Pit Coming to Soho; Time-Lapse Video Shows Street Art Installation of Five-Story Ballerina

JR @ 100 Franklin from DDG on Vimeo A British creative agency is bringing an 81,000-ball pit for adults to Soho. You can make a reservation for a 30-minute session. [Gothamist] The MTA says subway stations where trash cans were removed saw a 66 percent decline in the number of garbage bags hauled out. [NYDN] A new […]

Uncategorized

July 13, 2015

Tetra-Shed: A Portable Wooden Home Office with a Rubber Skin