Now that the new building rising next to the Bedford Avenue mini mall (and Chabad House, lest we forget) in Williamsburg looks pretty much done, we've finally figured the darn thing out! The curious contraption at 232 Bedford, technically a "vertical extension" of an existing commercial building, unveiled its Tetris to us in December, back when we were still wondering how it could connect to a two-story brick building at the corner of North 4th Street. The project is the work of Loadingdock5, which is quickly climbing the ranks of our favorite local firms. LD5's website gives us the full scoop on 232 Bedford, aka the Passive Solar House.
The Tetris building, which is the two-story extension, is an owner's residence above the retail space. The cutouts, LD5 writes, "did not take place until halfway through the construction process when we were able to meet with the clients onsite to determine where certain openings could be placed to respond to light conditions, views of the skies and exterior, and to maintain privacy." There's a roof garden on top of the one-story storefronts that connect the building to the one at the corner of North 4th Street. As for the "passive solar" concept, well, here you go: "The 4' roof overhang and the 3rd floor balcony provide shading for the glass facade in summer while the low angle of the sun in the winter will provide heat for the interior." Letting the sun do all the work, eh? How slacker Williamsburg!
· Passive Solar House [Loadingdock5]
· 232 Bedford coverage [Curbed]
· Loadingdock5 coverage [Curbed]
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