NYC Sky Condo

NYC Sky Condo competition

HONORABLE MENTION: 

Osman Hacioglu

Fatos Basaran

Alı Dulger

Nurdan Karagunlu

The idea of this design is to use the same kind of fragmentation that already exists within the architectural and urban landscape of the area and create a micro scale version within a building’s structure. This fragmentation announces itself with following segments:

1)     Street level where there are shops, galleries, recreational areas, restaurants, grounds for practicing sports etc.

2)     High Line level where there is a promenade.

3)     Upper Level where there is a high percentage of residential use.

4)     Roof Level where one can see the famous NYC water towers and mechanical equipment.

Program and Functions:

The design uses environmentally friendly materials and state-of-the-art energy efficient techniques to create a multi-purpose and interactive building for 21st-century life in New York. The overall design pays homage to the structure and functions of a tree, with residences situated harmoniously alongside the multi-level vertical green house firmly supported by the active community spaces on the ground levels.

Starting with the basement floor, city dwellers are able to utilize and enjoy an open-air theater as well as a suspended basketball court on the mezzanine level, two core features of New York City culture but with an eco spin. The first floor, which is connected to the High Line, invites visitors to seamlessly wander in and out of the market stocked with fresh produce from the building itself.

On the second floor, an advanced research laboratory and office space is available to create versatile areas integral to the overall functionality of the design. These three levels integrate the street into the functionality of the design, making the building a living, congruous ecosystem.

34 flats, including 11 duplexes, are spread out between floors three to ten along western façade facing the Hudson River. Using recycled materials such as wood, brick and steel, the apartments are a reflection of traditional New York design but with an eco-friendly twist. Terrace spaces connected to each apartment create personal greenhouses that seamlessly integrate the outside environment with inside living space. 

Opposite the apartments on each floor on the east façade are vertical terrace gardens to grow produce that can then be sold at the market on the first floor. The terraces look out to the cityscape through pivoting panels composed of recycled wood on one side and mirrored solar energy reflectors on the other. Each panel can be individually controlled to open or close depending on the amount of light and temperature needed for the various types of plants, allowing for a diverse and customizable crop yield.

The roof of the building features rooftop pools facing the west façade available for use by the building’s residents. Skylights allow light to filter through to the hallways of the floors below, further integrating the outside environment into the design. Opposite the feature on east façade is an open water pool that collects rainwater for use in the garden terraces below. The gravitation distribution of water simultaneously provides power for the entire building through hydroelectric generators, an energy efficient and low cost way of power. In this way, the building focuses on creating an environment that generates and depends on elements in the design to sustain its ecosystem naturally.

Materials

The design utilizes the most sustainable and aesthetically appealing materials in its construction. In order to stay true to the distinctive New York architecture, corten steel and recycled brick are used throughout the design. Oxydated metal sheets cover the exterior of the residential blocks while brick is used to cover the interior walls just as in city’s lofts.

At the same time, the introduction of recycled wood serves to bring a new eco-friendly quality and texture to the future of the city’s architecture. For example, the two main vertical structural elements that also contain the circulation in the Y-axis are covered with recycled wood, emblematic of a tree trunk. Wooden solar panels are also used on the east façade, representing a sustainable means of creating both environmentally friendly and efficient energy sources for the building’s operation.

The blend of these three materials creates a distinctive design that mixes new, environmentally friendly materials with traditional architectural elements characteristic of New York.

Energy

The design capitalizes on innovative, natural and efficient energy techniques to power the building. Rainwater collected in an open basin on the rooftop is used to water the plants in the greenhouses on the floors below. Water is then distributed to containers in each greenhouse naturally by means of gravity. As the water travels, it simultaneously powers hydroelectric generators, which power the commercial and residential sections of the building. Energy is also collected and stored in the vertical gardens via the rotating solar panels located on the east façade, providing alternate sources of power for the building. In this way, the design takes advantage of natural means of powering and sustaining all aspects and sections of the building.

  Farming

Greenhouses are located on floors three to ten facing east and south façades. The positioning of this section of the project is due to the solar angles of New York City all year long. Each greenhouse is equipped with a state-of-the-art water collection and distribution system originating with a rainwater collection pool on the roof. East façade of the building is made up of mirrored solar panels that can each be individually controlled to open and close depending on the amount of light and temperature level needed for each plot of plants. This feature allows for a diverse array of crops to be produced and sold seasonally in the market located on the first floor, creating a naturally self-sufficient cycle of production. Located within each garden terrace is a farmer’s studio, which can be utilized as an additional apartment or as working quarters for the farmers harvesting the crops. The hallway between the residences and the gardens features an interior glass façade, allowing inhabitants to constantly see and experience the harvest year round.