Earlier last week, the City Council of New York City decided to move forward with Rafael Viñoly Architects’ master plan for the New Domino in Brooklyn. While the historic sugar refinery complex, with its familiar yellow signage, has achieved landmark status and will be preserved, the 11.2 acre-site will be outfitted with 2,200 new apartments – 660 of which are affordable housing – and four acres of public park space including a riverfront esplanade along the East River in Brooklyn.
More about the master plan after the break.
The plan, which Viñoly has been developing since 2005 and will break ground in 2011, transforms the industrial complex into a modular, mixed-use and residential development that emphasizes open space and public access to the river. The new apartment buildings will flank the historic refinery buildings, and the landmarked complex will be adapted for new residential, commercial and cultural uses.
The apartments, modular in design, will be similar in plan, yet extruded to different heights. Lower buildings sit near the surrounding neighborhoods, and higher buildings are located further inland. The buildings are outfitted with green roofs to control stormwater runoff and diminish the “heat island” effect. Careful attention was paid to the placement of the residences in order to maintain visual corridors and pedestrian access between the Brooklyn community and the waterfront.
The plan takes full advantage of the waterfront by incorporating a public esplanade that connects the new development with the preexisting public spaces in the community. For the first time in 150 years, residents will be able to enjoy the perfect views the waterfront offers of Manhattan, the Williamsburg, Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridges, and the New York Harbor.
More projects by Viñoly on AD here.
