ODA’s 71 White Street in Brooklyn Incorporates the Site's Graffitied Walls Into the Design

Written by Eric Oh

Bushwick, now famed for its art, night life and abundance of green spaces, is one of the fastest gentrifying neighbourhoods in Brooklyn. ODA New York's 71 White Street will be the latest in new developments taking over former industrial buildings in the neighborhood -- but with a twist. Using the foundation of a former 1930s manufacturing building, 71 White will preserve its graffitied brick exterior, maintaining the character of the neighbourhood. Read more about the project after the break.

The new development will feature a 100-key hotel, cantilevered over an elevated market square with an amphitheater, retail, restaurants and bars. Retail will be distributed throughout the two lowest floors of the building, with the five upper floors comprising the hotel. A second, open-air floor will separate the two, serving as a multi-use public promenade with Bushwick and Manhattan as backdrops.

From the architect: 71 White Street’s lot borders East Williamsburg’s industrial blocks and Bushwick’s residential fabric.

271 White Street is situated between Bushwick’s commercial and residential zones. Previously the site of a Citi Bike repair station, the property was purchased for the development of a 112-room hotel. The existing exterior—clad in graffiti by local artists—was carefully preserved in order to maintain the character of the neighborhood.

By preserving the building’s original graffitied exterior—even while gutting the interior—designers have managed to maintain the cultural relevance of this unique site.

Retail will be redistributed between the building’s two lowest floors, while the five upper floors will comprise the hotel.

By elevating the hotel above the attached retail space, a semi-public outdoor promenade was created. Meanwhile, another floor added atop the structure maximizes views.

To facilitate the flow of people, amplify permeability, and maximize the penetration of light, a grand entrance was erected at the building’s first floor corner. Additionally, large industrial windows and alternative entrances were carved out of the existing façade.

The issue of how to access the outdoor promenade from the ground floor retail—while simultaneously creating an attractive, multi-event outdoor space—was addressed by incorporating a large, looped path, which begins at the main entrance and reaches both the east and west ends of the building.

The final arrangement of the hotel volume defines the plaza as the negative space of the bulk.

Setting back the top half of the building allowed for the insertion of an expansive skylight, in addition to breaking up the mass and providing space for several hotel room terraces.

In order to facilitate the span that permits the various open spaces below, an integral structural grid was created. The grid not only provides the necessary structure, but defines the building’s fenestration, distinguishing individual hotel room spaces and articulating the hotel’s various communal spaces, listed below.

Currently, plans are in the works for a gym, pool, integrated indoor and outdoor rooftop bar, dedicated elevator to the roof, and an array of presidential suites in addition to standard-sized rooms.