1140 dwelling without corridors

Our contribution for Big Ideas Small Lots tries to provide a typological answer to the very different ways of living we are embracing today and to the diverse demographic group in need of affordable solutions to live, work, and thrive in New York City. We see the housing typology as a fundamental component of the urban fabric, not as private realm separated from the public life of the city but as an element that participates to the exchange of ideas, culture, and knowledge. This innovative housing typology is based on the idea of sharing, eliminating, and transforming those underutilized spaces, such as lobbies, distribution corridors into generously shared spaces distinctively programmed at each floor with supporting functions for each living units. The building uses the limitation of the building code on our parcel site located at 113 west 136 street in Harlem to deploy double-heights floors inhabited by duplex units that opens towards a full height central area of individual and communitarian activities that aim at fostering the relationship between the inhabitants of the building.