Small Lots
RESEARCH RESIDENTIAL #1905 2019
The primary challenge when dealing with narrow New York infill lots centers on the requirements for circulation. Small Lots looks to capitalize on a central split-level stair design which is seen as a spatial experience instead of simply a way of moving between floors.
location
NEW YORK, NY
PROJECT TEAM
BEDA AND ATTN ATTN
The site implications of this shift in circulation strategy are many. The introduction of green space at the pedestrian level can beautify a neighborhood and improve the pedestrian experience. Communal green spaces in urban New York City can also act as catalysts for community building, whether between two individual neighbors living on site or an entire neighborhood through programming like community gardens. Inside each dwelling unit, circulation is further developed to create a more dynamic space given the small lot size. While traditional vertical circulation arrangements separate each floor, dividing a home into disparate floors, the project aims to provide a more vertically connected home by distributing program at each half level. This strategy provides better physical and visual connection throughout the height of the home.
The project proposes the use of cross-laminated timber for the construction of the project. Laminated timber products are a sustainable and renewable resource. The density of wood is a fifth that of concrete allowing for milling to be prefabricated off-site. This not only results in a faster construction schedule, a large reduction of wasted materials, but also reduces the exposure to weather typically seen by building materials which live on-site throughout a lengthy construction schedule. In addition, these CLT panels can be exposed visually without the need for additional finish materials.