Magnusson Architecture and Planning PC (MAP) has been selected to design a site located in the northern portion of the Melrose Commons Urban Renewal Area of the Bronx as part of a sustainable housing project. The site is being developed by The Briarwood Organization, CPC Resources and The Bridge, Inc.
The project will comprise of three connected buildings which will provide 260 units of housing, with ground floor commercial space, for a total of approximately 304,900 gross square feet. The three buildings will work together to create a landscaped courtyard with plenty of daylight entering through the generous cut in the height elevation of the south-facing part of the family building. This measure allows typical backyard housing units an unusual abundance of daylights and views to the neighboring public park above the former railroad trench on East 161st Street and Elton Avenue. The courtyard will include a series of terraced gardens and outdoor decks, forming a central and unifying feature of the new complex.
The design introduces a new generation of sustainable housing development combined with a new visual statement of modern high-density housing. The project is designed for a LEEDŽ Silver rating and incorporates basic sustainable measures as solar orientation, maximizing daylight and natural ventilation in conjunction with state-of-the-art green initiatives, such as the implementation of a vast system of storm water management, solar heating and roof gardens including areas dedicated to Urban Agriculture.
