SHoP Architects has shared with us the B2 Bklyn building which will be the first of the residential developments for Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, New York to break ground, scheduled for 2012. Standing at 32 storeys, it will be the world’s tallest pre-fab building, saving both on cost and waste.
More after the break.
The final articulation of the volumes were developed by addressing the requirements of the Design Guidelines established by the Empire State Development Corporation through a series of setbacks. The buildings present a variety of colors, materials and fabrication techniques, creating an assortment of patterns and textures on Brooklyn’s skyline. The residential buildings are integrated with shopping and storefronts at ground level, in hopes of creating an inviting streetscape. (via SHoP Architects)
The pre-fabricated method of construction will help reduce on-site waste, noise and pollution during the construction phase of the project, which is an environmental benefit to the residents nearby and construction workers that will work in a controlled factory setting. However, NY Curbed weighs the consequences of this chosen method of construction, citing the loss of high-paying construction jobs that were promised by the building plan in 2006, reducing 170,000 jobs to a mere 190. The consequences of pre-fab construction pose a substantial debate: modular options cost 15-20% less than traditional construction, produces 70-90% less waste and consumes 67% less energy.
Atlantic Yards has been in development for a number of years now. The redevelopment includes 22-acres of Downtown Brooklyn between Flatbush Ave, Fourth Ave, Vanderbuilt Ave and Dean St, by Forest City Ratner Companies. It will include 6 million sf of residential space, an entertainment arena, Barclays Center, 247,000 sf of retail use, 336,000 sf of office space and 8 acres of publically accessible open space. The plan, which was designed by Frank Gehry, will also include the expansion of the Atlantic Terminal Transit Hub and a new maintanence and storage facility for the LIRR.
via SHoP Architects and NY Curbed
