New York sees condos and hotels pop up like wildflowers, so why should any special attention be paid to the 550,000-square-foot hotel and condo complex soon to rise Brooklyn Bridge Park? Well, because of just that: it's in the park, which means, as Robbie Whelan so eloquently states in the Journal, that the buildings "can't be just another part of the urban fabric?they have to be something more." So how does Rogers Marvel Architects plan to do this?
First, the development's "step-up" design, which allows for almost every story to be topped with some vegetation, was meant to bring the park into the building. "The building is going to blend with the park," said architect Jonathan Marvel. "We didn't want the building to draw too much attention to itself. We wanted it to be a good neighbor."
Second, Marvel plans to construct the buildings from white limestone because of how the stone reflects the changing sunlight. Whelan writes, "Parkgoers, ferry passengers and drivers crossing the Brooklyn Bridge will see a building near the water that changes with the light from the river, burning brown in late afternoon sun and cooling off in the early morning."
And finally, the design team has worked to "soften" the look of the hotel since the first renderings were revealed. They wanted to "respect the park, not overwhelm it," so more natural finishes were added and support columns will be coated with wood. At night, the hotel will be "a softly lit 'beacon,'" which could prove to be negative. Whelan notes, "with so much glass, the structure will look anesthetized and bright."
· A Step Up in the Park [WSJ]
· Brooklyn Bridge Park's New Hotels, Condos Will Look Like This [Curbed]
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