Brooklyn, NY AmTrust Realty Group’s The Amberly, is Woods Bagot’s first tower in the U.S. It resides at the intersection of three of New York’s fastest growing neighborhoods: Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, and Downtown Brooklyn. The 37-story, 355,000 s/f tower, office building, and public plaza is reinvigorating this former in-between area. The form, materiality and open spaces were designed for the scale of Downtown Brooklyn, the creative ambiance of DUMBO and the material character of brownstone Brooklyn. Woods Bagot’s design links those contextual elements while providing incredible views.
The residential tower is comprised of 270 apartments varying from studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments; three residents’ lounges; underground parking; and a fitness center. The pattern of the warm terracotta façade was determined by the building’s uses. The living and dining areas are flooded with natural light through floor-to-ceiling vision glass, showcasing city views. The glass contracts at bathrooms to give the residents privacy. Some of the apartments have terraces—a luxury for such a dense city—as well as rooftop access.
Woods Bagot fine-tuned the façade using parametric modeling, so it appears as one seamless pattern from street to roof. The facade is comprised of extruded metal panels, set within a frame consistent with the terracotta panels at the base of the building.
A primary design challenge was determining the best way to associate the glass façade of the office building with the residential tower to its east. As a result, an eight-inch metal fin at each mullion was painted to match the terracotta of the residential tower. These fins act as a screen between the residential units and the office interiors but also unite the massing of the office and residential sections through their shared color palette. In addition, the fins add depth to the facade, whose appearance changes as you walk past – textured and solid from an oblique angle but transparent when aligned.
Rather than keeping the valuable high floors for private penthouses, as is common practice, Woods Bagot and AmTrust created community spaces at the top of the building. A lounge and terrace on the 33rd floor, The Overlook, is available for all tenants to enjoy. A second residents’ lounge is on the ninth floor.
Access to the building is either via a dedicated drop-off on the north side of the building, leading directly to the underground parking, or via a public plaza on the south side.
The Amberly Project Team:
• Architecture and Interior Design: Woods Bagot
• Structural Engineer: WSP USA
• MEP Engineer: Cosentini Associates
• Landscape Architect: SCAPE
• Construction Manager: Bravo Builders
• Geotechnical Services: RA Engineering
• Building Envelope Consultant: Vidaris
• Lighting Design: ML Studio
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