Brooklyn Archives

frida escobedo takes on brooklyn with pleated bergen homes

a new neighbor for quiet boerum hill

A new residential project has been announced for Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, with architecture by Mexico City-based Taller Frida Escobedo. Those who live in the historic New York neighborhood are drawn to its low, brownstone streets and tree-lined sidewalks. For most, it’s a place to spend a Sunday morning, rather than a Saturday night. Contemporary additions are welcome to the quiet neighborhood provided the architecture is subtle and sensitive to its landmark neighbors.

Avdoo & Partners Development aims to help Bergen strike that balance between unique and contextually sensitive. Thus, it is designed with a low-stance and rhythmically-pleated facade to create proportions that echo the surrounding townhouses. From its renders, the seven-story structure will be washed in a muted, pinkish hue. This marks Frida Escobedo’s first foray into condominium design, and will be constructed concurrent with her ongoing redesign of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new wing across the river (see designboom’s coverage here).

the seven-story condominium project, is under construction in Boerum Hill | visualizations © DARCSTUDIO.

frida escobedo responds to low-rise brooklyn

Shlomi Avdoo, principal and founder of Avdoo & Partners, expressed his enthusiasm for Bergen in Brooklyn, highlighting Frida Escobedo‘s ‘strong design vision.’ He elaborated on Bergen’s intended role as a respectful addition to the neighborhood, built with ‘a keen sensibility of material and scale.’ The 209,000-square-foot building will introduce 105 luxury condominium units, ranging from studios to five-bedroom residences across 49 unique floorplans, all curated by interiors studio Workstead. The project prioritizes a dialogue between indoor and outdoor living. Driven by this philosophy, seventy-five percent of the units will open onto private outdoor gardens. Residents will also have access to a beautifully landscaped, private park designed by DXA Studio and Partick Cullina.

the pleated facade takes shape with precast concrete brick in muted tones

a pleated facade along tree-lined bergen street

The architectural concept for Brooklyn’s Bergen development is the result of a collaborative effort between Taller Frida Escobedo and DXA Studio. This exchange of ideas led to the creation of two distinct residential wings flanking a central amenity space with a transparent facade. Working closely with GF55, the architect-of-record, Escobedo ensured Bergen pays homage to its context while carving its own unique identity in the Brooklyn skyline.

The building will be sited along a postcard, tree-lined street, and will express the influences drawn from Boerum Hill. The pleated facade, constructed with custom-made blocks that vary in size and opacity, celebrates the interplay of light and air. Escobedo strategically leveraged the building’s orientation to maximize natural light from both the east and west. The overall design is shaped with a cohesive rhythm in terms of scale, materiality, and color, with porosity and transparency woven throughout the building’s form.

residents will have access to 12,000 square feet of outdoor space, including a public garden

the community-focused building

At the building’s core lies the so-called Glass House, a transparent, rectangular volume that serves as the main entry point from both Dean and Bergen Streets. This central hub connects the two residential wings, encouraging a sense of community within the building to reflect that of Boerum Hill itself.

Bergen offers residents over 14,500 square feet of amenities across four levels. Accessed by a cylindrical stairwell, these amenities — which include a cold plunge, a podcast studio, and a steam room — cater to a range of interests encompassing health, wellness and entertainment. In addition to the exceptional indoor offerings, residents can relax and socialize in over 12,000 square feet of gardened outdoor spaces, including Dean Park and two communal rooftop terraces designed by the landscape team. Parking, storage, and bike storage are also available for purchase.

the building will introduce 105 luxury units, ranging from studios to five-bedroom residences
architect Frida Escobedo | image © Zack DeZon

project info:

project title: Bergen

architecture: Taller Frida Escobedo | @fridaescobedo

location: Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

developer: Avdoo & Partners | @avdoo_partners

interior design: Workstead | @workstead

landscape design, master planning: DXA Studio | @dxastudio

landscape design, horticulture: Partick Cullina | @pjctwo

architect-of-record: GF55 | @gf55architects

visualizations: © DARCSTUDIO. | @darcstudio_

photography: © Zack DeZon | @zackdezon

Reference

Interior Design

Format Architecture designs “delightfully untraditional” Brooklyn restaurant

By Zarkon Group,10/12/2023

Bright colours, neon lighting and expressive furniture create a playful mood inside this Brooklyn restaurant, designed by local studio Format Architecture Office.

Cafe Mars is an Italian eatery located in Gowanus, founded by co-chefs Jorge Olarte, and Paul D’Avino – whose grandfather lived across the street when he first emigrated from Campania in 1901.

White oak arch over light grey bar counter, accompanied by hot pink chairs — Playful furniture throughout Cafe Mars includes chairs with hot-pink arched and zigzag legs

Honouring these roots, the restaurant is designed as a celebration of all things Italy: from the Memphis design movement of the 1980s to the glamorous Amalfi Coast.

“It was important to connect the intent of the culinary experience with the intent of the spatial experience,” said Format principal and co-founder Andrew McGee.

The bar and open kitchen framed by white oak panels — The bar and open kitchen are framed by white oak panels

“If the driving force of the menu was to showcase knowledge and love of traditional Italian cuisine, twisted and subverted at just the right moments to create something playfully rebellious and unusual, it seemed only natural to reference the character and movement in [Ettore] Sottsass and the Memphis style with a similar vintage in the architecture and design realm,” he continued.

View through arch towards banquette seating and tables with exposed brick above — Above each table in the main dining space is a yellow panel with a hole cut-out, exposing the building’s original brick

To enter the 1,100-square-foot (100-square-metre) restaurant, visitors must turn a pasta die door handle sourced from local third-generation manufacturer D Malardi & Sons.

“The detail is a charming nod to the building’s pasta factory and Italian grocery history whilst ushering in its restaurant future,” the studio said.

Row of white and yellow double-sided banquettes — The custom banquettes are coloured one yellow for every two white

Once inside the long narrow front space, the bar area can be found on the right and a row of back-to-back banquettes runs along the left.

The bar and the open kitchen further down are framed by white oak panelled arches, revealing a bright blue back bar that echoes the same shape.

Dining room with cobalt-coloured seating and exposed brick walls — The “blue room” in the back features cobalt-coloured seating that contrasts the exposed brickwork

A tall, light grey counter forms an L-shape within the first arch, with a lower surface for diners seated in custom chairs by Studio Apotroes with hot pink zig-zag legs.

More seats – this time with white details – face the kitchen area, beside a bright green shelving unit for tableware tucked under the bar counter.

Pendant light with hot pink cord above blue banquette and wood tables — Hot pink reappears in the cords of pendant lights, which have shades made from mushroom mycelium

Opposite, the custom double-sided banquettes have ribbed edges and are coloured one yellow for every two white.

In between are arched yellow panels with circular holes that expose the original brick walls behind, and Stuff by Andrew Neyer globe pendants that hang above each table.

View through black archway into purple-hued bathroom — Pasta illustrations by artist Massimo Mongiardo are found throughout the interior, including in the bathroom

The “blue room” in the back features cobalt-coloured seating that contrasts the exposed brick walls, black window frames and white hexagonal floor tiles.

Hot pink reappears in the cords of pendant lights with MushLume shades made from mushroom mycelium, while bespoke wooden tables have puzzle-piece tops that slot together in various configurations.

At night, colourful LED lights within the circular wall elements, under the bar counter and above the back bar all match a neon sign in the window, which traces the Cafe Mars logo designed by artist Massimo Mongiardo.

His illustrations of pasta shapes can be found throughout the interiors, including in the bathrooms, and across the black-painted roller shutters pulled down when the restaurant is closed.

Black roller shutter covered with colourful illustrations of pasta shapes — Mongiardo’s illustrations also cover the black roller shutter on the exterior

“The goal was to strike a delicate balance between fanciful and comforting, transformative and familiar,” said Format co-founder and principal Matthew Hettler.

“The design, however loud, becomes a backdrop for a quality experience, and that is something we are excited about.”

A neon version of the Cafe Mars logo sits in the window, matching the colorful LED lighting inside

Other relative newcomers to Brooklyn’s ever-evolving culinary scene include Nabila’s, a Lebanese spot designed by Frederick Tang Architecture, and Usonian-inspired eatery Sereneco featuring interiors by Carpenter + Mason.

Over in Manhattan, the number of Italian restaurants continues to balloon, with Bad Roman and Cucina Alba among the many to have opened in the past year.

The photography is by Nick Glimenakis.

Project credits:

Architecture and interior design: Format Architecture Office
Project team: Clare Hačko, David Hettler, Matt Hettler, Andrew McGee
Construction: Rusk
Structural engineer: Blue Sky Design
MEP engineer: Department of Approvals

Reference

Interior Design

Alp Bozkurt creates “calming” interior for Brooklyn tattoo parlour

By Zarkon Group,02/10/2023

Arched niches provide stations for tattoo artists at Atelier Eva, located in a former Brooklyn hardware store transformed by designer Alp Bozkurt.

The Atelier Eva Grand Street parlour is the second in Brooklyn run by tattoo artist Eva Karabudak, who is renowned for her detailed, micro-realism tattoos.

Boucle seats and Apparatus lights in front of an arched niche — Polycarbonate panels punctured by arched niches line the interior of Atelier Eva’s Grand Street studio

“Created with an ambitious vision to reimagine tattoo culture following Eva’s own experiences feeling uncomfortable and unsafe as a woman in her early work environments, Atelier Eva offers a new kind of tattooing experience with the goal of providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all people,” said the studio.

While her first location on Havemeyer Street was designed in house, Karabudak turned to Alp Bozkurt for the Grand Street space – which at 3,000 square feet (280 square metres) is almost twice the size.

Arched niche with a mirrored back and totem-like sculptures — The arches reveal details of the original building, which was formerly a hardware store

The building dates back to 1895 and was originally constructed as a hardware store, occupying a single story space that extends 115 feet back from the street facade.

Original features such as large roof trusses, skylights and brick walls were all restored and highlighted during the renovation work.

A pink-concrete table shrouded by a sheer curtain — A pink-concrete table used for tattoo consultations is shrouded by a sheer curtain

The trusses are painted black, drawing the eye up to the ceiling, while the remaining structural elements are whitewashed for a clean look.

“A distilled material palette is deployed to create a warm and calming environment from otherwise industrial materials retaining the building’s original ethos,” said Bozkurt.

Row of arched niches with tables and cabinets tucked inside — In the main space, the arched niches provide areas for the tattoo artists to store their equipment

Wrapping the perimeter of the interior are translucent polycarbonate panels that sit a few inches in front of the brickwork, unifying the sequence of spaces.

All the way around, arches puncture the panels to frame original corbeling, and reveal other historic elements.

A planter with a small tree and water feature — A planter is positioned in the centre of the otherwise sparsely populated space

In the front of the studio, beside the floor-to-ceiling glass facade, one arch provides a backdrop for a seating area with boucle-covered chairs, and pendant lights by Apparatus above.

Behind a pink-concrete reception counter is a consultation area, shrouded by a sheer curtain suspended from a curved metal track.

“Visitors are offered glimpses of activity in the studio flooded by natural light while the artists and their clients maintain privacy,” Bozkurt said.

The group of artists offering a range of tattoo styles and piercings work in the large space beyond, where each is allocated a station aligned with an arch.

Pink concrete furniture either side of a seating area — Pink concrete is also used for the reception counter and other furniture

Foldable padded tables for clients to lay on, stools for the artists and cabinets for storing equipment all tuck neatly into these niches when not in use.

The open space – which also hosts creative gatherings and events – is sparsely populated, other than a central pink-concrete planter that matches the consultation table and the counter.

Exterior view of Atelier Eva studio on Grand Street, Brooklyn — The location on Grand Street is Atelier Eva’s second in Brooklyn

Together, Bozkurt’s interventions create “a carefully choreographed sequence of experiences through varying degrees of transparency offered by various design elements”.

Other tattoo parlours with unconventional interiors include a minimalist space in Kyiv with holes slashed through its walls, a stark monochromatic space in New York and a studio in Paris featuring curtains printed with Hieronymus Bosch paintings.

The photography is by Atticus Radley.

Reference

Interior Design

Light and Air opens up Z House in Brooklyn to the outdoors

By Zarkon Group,19/09/2023

Local studio Light and Air has introduced a light-filled void at the centre of a Brooklyn townhouse as part of a major reconfiguration and extension project.

The home in the leafy Clinton Hill neighbourhood was bought by a family of four with roots in India and required a complete gut renovation to open up the spaces to the outside.

Townhouse rear extension with cube pale-brick volumes — The overhaul of Z House involved a significant rear extension, comprising cube volumes clad in pale brick

“They wanted a house that exhibited a strong connection to nature, featuring a more seamless integration between inside and out,” said Light and Air.

The project involved extending the building one level vertically, bringing its total number of storeys to four, as well as pushing it out significantly at the back.

Kitchen and dining area with oak millwork and pale brick wall — The brick continues into the kitchen and dining area on the lower floor

While the historic front facade was carefully restored, the rear elevation now presents as a contemporary stack of pale-brick cube volumes.

The interior was completely reorganized to allow sightlines between the original spaces, the new extensions and the outdoors.

Kitchen with brick walls, oak millwork and a central island — Oak millwork in the kitchen continues through the minimal interiors

The most dramatic change involved swapping the stacked staircase with a switchback configuration – a similar approach taken by the studio at another Brooklyn townhouse in 2018.

This arrangement allows for improved visual connections between the levels and gave the project its name, Z House.

Wooden staircase that leads to perpendicular white staircase above — Reconfiguring the house involved swapping the stacked staircase for a switchback arrangement from the parlour level to the top floor

In addition, an angled skylight was added above the staircase void, bringing in light all the way down to the parlour 40 feet (12 metres) below.

“Filled by light and air, the stair’s drama is heightened by the placement of large windows punctuating the rear facade, allowing the vertical space to open to the exterior,” said the studio.

Switchback staircase beside a corridor with wooden doors — A skylight over the staircase void brings light down into the home

Of the home’s four storeys, the lower levels are occupied by the public spaces including the kitchen, dining, living and media rooms.

The top two levels are reserved for the children’s rooms and the primary suite respectively. The uppermost floor also accommodates a home office and provides access to a roof terrace created by the rear extension.

“This private, elevated, exterior space offers a unique domestic experience not typically found in most Brooklyn rowhouses,” Light and Air said.

Interiors throughout are clean and minimal, with white walls and custom oak millwork, built-ins and furniture.

Bedroom with custom oak bed and built-ins — The primary bedroom on the top floor features a custom oak bed and built-ins

The pale brick of the rear facade is also expressed inside the double-height kitchen and dining area, which is open to the back patio.

“Located above the garden level addition is a green roof that buffers sightlines from the parlor floor, creating the effect of a floating garden beyond,” said Light and Air.

Historic townhouse facade in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn — The historic street facade of the Clinton Hill townhouse was also restored as part of the renovation

Founded by Shane Neufeld in 2017, the studio has completed a variety of interior design projects across New York City.

These include a Brooklyn apartment retrofitted with ample custom cabinetry and a spiral staircase and a Financial District loft where partitions were removed to create an open, inviting space.

The photography is by Kevin Kunstadt.

Reference

Interior Design

Sarah Jefferys creates Passive House in Brooklyn with cedar screen

By Zarkon Group,29/10/2022

American studio Sarah Jefferys Architecture + Interiors has renovated a slender townhouse in Brooklyn with airy rooms and a cedar screen on the facade to meet Passive House standards.

Located in the Park Slope neighbourhood, the Passive House project involved the overhaul of a brick-faced, three-storey townhouse built in 1921 and owned by a family of four.

Passive Brooklyn Townhouse cedar facade — Sarah Jefferys Architecture + Interiors remodelled a Brooklyn townhouse into a passive house

New York-based Sarah Jefferys Architecture + Interiors sought to create a tranquil living atmosphere with elements that pay homage to the family’s Indian and Danish roots.

Moreover, the team wanted the 3,000-square-foot (279-square-metre) building to align with Passive House standards for energy efficiency.

Brooklyn Passive House interior — High-quality windows were installed

To significantly reduce heating and cooling needs, the team installed triple-pane Zola windows, which are often used in passive houses. Walls were reconstructed to create an airtight envelope, which included the addition of cellulose insulation.

The team also added an electric heat pump and an energy recovery ventilator, which helps purify the air.

The front facade was kept intact and refurbished, while the rear wall was redesigned to add ample glazing. To provide privacy and to modulate incoming daylight, the team added an artful cedar screen that acts as both “a sculpture and a veil”.

Brooklyn Passive House with Dutch furniture — White oak was used to complement the bright colours

Within the slender home, the team incorporated pops of colour and pale materials such as white oak.

“We strategically used light hues and reflective materials, and created an airy environment to offset the narrow footprint of the townhouse,” the team said.

The ground level has an open plan and holds the communal spaces.

Brooklyn Passive House kitchen — Reflective and light materials helped the studio meet environmental standards

Up front is the living room, where one finds a blue Living Divani sofa, rattan chairs from Fritz Hansen and a Muuto table.

A wood-burning fireplace, an element not often found in passive homes, sits between the living and dining areas.

To curb emissions from the hearth, the architects added a triple-pane glass enclosure and an extraction fan with an insulated cap. Still, because of the fireplace, the home does not fully meet the PHIUS certification requirements, the architect said.

The all-white dining room is furnished with Ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen and a PH50 pendant by Poul Henningsen. Just beyond is the “showpiece kitchen”, which is framed with an LED light cove.

Brooklyn passive house white stairway — The staircase has a skylight above

“The light cove acts as a separation point – an outline – and provides an atmospheric glow throughout the kitchen,” the team said.

In addition to the special lighting, the kitchen features slatted wooden cabinetry, yellow pendants by Louis Poulsen, and an island topped with Glassos crystallized glass.

Part of the island consists of a live-sawn slab of white oak, which is lined with bar stools.

Brooklyn Passive house living room from above — The living room features a Muuto table

“The beautiful juxtaposition between Glassos and white oak exemplifies the nature of the kitchen as both a practical work area and a leisurely lounge space for entertaining,” the team said.

A sky-lit staircase leads to the upper levels. The first floor holds the main bedroom and bathroom, along with an office – all of which are arrayed along a corridor lined with frosted glass.

The main bedroom features a BoConcept bed, sconces by Robert Dudley Best for Bestlite and a graphic blanket by Pia Wallén for HAY. The bathroom is adorned with matte glass and penny-round tiles from Ann Sacks.

The office is infused with a “touch of nostalgia”. Pieces include a Hans Wegner armchair, a teak Danish dresser and a 1962 copper pendant by Jo Hammerborg.

Brooklyn Passive house bathroom — Bright colours were used throughout

The top level contains a den and two additional bedrooms. The house also has a cellar.

Other Brooklyn townhouses include a house by Space4Architecture that has a skylit staircase and minimalist decor, and the family home of architects Fanny and Matthew Mueller, which features floating steps and a wood-and-steel bridge.

The photography is by Morten Smidt.

Reference

Interior Design

Schissel Montgomery Architects renovates Brooklyn flat for art gallerist

By Zarkon Group,27/06/2021

New York City-based architecture office Schissel Montgomery has completed a minimalist renovation of a three-bedroom apartment in the Park Slope neighbourhood.

Named Wendy’s, the studio decluttered the 1,300-square-foot (120-square-metres) apartment’s living spaces to create “a quiet, generous background for art and life”.

Schissel Montgomery Architects also converted one of the bedrooms facing the street into a study.

White Brooklyn apartment kitchen renovation with tiles — The kitchen uses only lower cabinets to create a sense of openness

The renovation centres around a new kitchen, which is partially open to the living and dining space. Previously, these two areas were separate.“The intervention focuses on creating connections between the shared spaces of the apartment and selectively removing materials accreted over time,” said the studio.

Brooklyn apartment living room with minimalist furniture — A key move was to declutter the apartment’s living room

A new banquette along the wall integrates storage beneath the seat while consolidating the previously separate spaces.

At the end of a corridor, the studio repurposed an existing bedroom to create a study for the owner. Furniture selections here include a table by midcentury designer Eileen Gray and a Barcelona Daybed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Since the apartment is at street level, Schissel Montgomery designed sheer fabric curtains to cover the bottom portion of the windows.

This gives residents more privacy, while still admitting light into the space.

Office with Mies van der Rohe Barcelona daybed — The new study occupies a former bedroom at the far end of the apartment

The project has a restrained palette with light wooden floors, white painted walls and selectively curated furnishings and artwork.

“The intervention focuses on creating connections between the shared spaces of the apartment and selectively removing materials accreted over time,” Schissel Montgomery explained.

Brooklyn apartment foyer with built-in closets — The entrance includes a full-height mirror and built-in storage

Custom details include a handmade concrete enclosure to protect the building’s steam pipe.

It is made of stacked, textured cylinders that resemble a classical column’s fluting motif.

Brooklyn kitchen dining table with custom pipe cover — Custom details include a concrete sleeve to cover the building’s steam pipe

Another additional at the apartment’s entrance is a floor-to-ceiling mirror that was to expand the space and brings more light to a darker area of the apartment.

“The intervention uses painted surfaces, whitewashed floors and window sheers to maximise bounced light in the space,” explained Schissel Montgomery.

Renovated Brooklyn apartment with custom classical details — The pipe enclosure nods to similar classical columns visible from within the apartment

These pipes are left exposed in many New York City apartments and can become so hot that they are hazardous to residents, in addition to being unsightly.

Schissel Montgomery was established in 2019 and is led by two graduates of Columbia University’s architecture school, Michael Schissel and Talene Montgomery.

Other apartment renovations in the Brooklyn area include a townhouse by GRT Architects that is filled with eclectic art objects and a monochrome interior renovation by local firm Arnold Studio.

Photography is by Daniel Terna.

Project credits:

Architect: Schissel Montgomery Architects
Construction: WK Renovation

Reference

Brooklyn

frida escobedo takes on brooklyn with pleated bergen homes

a new neighbor for quiet boerum hill

frida escobedo responds to low-rise brooklyn

a pleated facade along tree-lined bergen street

the community-focused building

Format Architecture designs “delightfully untraditional” Brooklyn restaurant

Alp Bozkurt creates “calming” interior for Brooklyn tattoo parlour

Light and Air opens up Z House in Brooklyn to the outdoors

Sarah Jefferys creates Passive House in Brooklyn with cedar screen

Schissel Montgomery Architects renovates Brooklyn flat for art gallerist

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