September 08, 2014 -
Design / Build
AA Studio completed the design for the conversion of a 230,000 s/f mixed-use warehouse at 160 Imlay St. in the New York Dock Building located on Red Hook's waterfront. Developed by Est4te Four, the renovated 6-story building with converted water tower will house 6 commercial spaces consisting of art studios, offices, and café on the ground floor, with 70 contemporary residential loft-style apartments and rooftop deck and gardens above. Future Green Studio has designed all of the landscaping including the street level and roof deck gardens. Construction is underway and sales on the condominium units have begun. The project is slated for completion in summer of 2016.
"We recognized in Red Hook the creative spirit that exists, positioning Brooklyn as the new frontier for visionary design," said Aldo Andreoli, principal of AA Studio. "We wanted, first of all, to keep as much as possible; the purity of the existing concrete structure, incorporating at the same time the best new technologies available for energy efficiency and design quality."
A former industrial warehouse, The New York Dock Building was built in 1914 as one of the first poured-in-place concrete structures. By keeping the aesthetic of the existing board-formed concrete columns, each residential unit will retain the original concrete structural expression via exposed ceilings and columns in the main living, dining and sleeping areas, with ceiling heights reaching 12 to 16 feet. The new triple-pane windows made of steel and fabricated in Italy were specifically designed to maximize views, allowing no obstructions from vertical or horizontal mullions, while two operable panels allow ample airflow. Creating five new cores incorporating the exit stairs and elevators eliminated the need for long corridors and allowed, for most of the floor through apartments, the ability to enjoy views of Manhattan from the living rooms and views of Brooklyn from the bedrooms, all at the same time. The converted water tower penthouse and the rooftop resident's lounge will have 360-degree views.
Design features will include full height 10'-6" custom doors designed in collaboration by AA STUDIO and Citterio from Italy, located between bedrooms and living rooms. When open these doors will create a much larger loft plan and when closed will appear to be part of the wall. The pure white matte lacquer kitchens are designed with Italian manufacturer Dada Molteni and are intended to be a sculptural element placed within the open loft. All kitchen appliances are by Miele and remaining fixtures are in the same-brushed stainless steel. Materials used throughout the project include concrete, corten steel, deconstructed shipping containers, oversized industrial windows, wide plank European white oak wood flooring, hot rolled steel panels, and cement boards siding. Bathrooms will feature sinks, countertops, millwork and bathtubs by Antonio Lupi, fixtures by Fantini and toilets by Duravit.
Amenities at 160 Imlay will include a fitness center designed in conjunction with Harley Pasternak with men's and women's bathrooms with lockers, showers, a steam room and sauna, 24-hour doorman and a beautifully landscaped rear garden and roof deck with places for hosting private events, dining, sitting, and gardening.