175 Third Street | BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group

Catalyzed by the major Gowanus rezoning in 2021 – one of the most significant rezonings in New York City in recent years – 175 Third Street builds on years of BIG’s prior study and design
exploration in both the site and broader community. Following a previous design concept for the same site unveiled in 2023, the new development spans over one million sq ft, featuring a public park along the Gowanus Canal. Arriving at a time when the need for housing in New York City is more urgent than ever, the 27-story building will include over 1,000 residential units, approximately 250 of which will be affordable.

“When the building went into contract, we put out an RFP with five different architects, and the
designs BIG came back with just knocked us out . They understood the location, the surroundings , and the history of Gowanus, which we appreciated.” - Sam Charney, Principal, Charney Companies “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have partnered with Bjarke Ingels and his team on 175 Third Street.
The combination of balancing world -class design with incredible quality of life through
architecture will make for a stunning and welcome addition to the Gow anus community. ” - Dov
Barnett, Founding Partner, Tavros.

Neighboring the Gowanus Canal, the building steps in a series of cascading concrete volumes,
visually breaking down the scale and creating a dynamic silhouette that responds to its industrial context. The towers appear as stacked blocks, connecting on the east side to form a descending U-shape opening towards the waterfront – a gesture that frames the canal as both focal point and front yard. The horseshoe geometry maximizes access to light, air, and outdoor space, carving out room for the waterfront park connecting 2nd and 3rd Streets, as well as an internal stepped courtyard and a sequence of rooftop terraces designed by BIG Landscape.
"Our design for 175 Third Street in Gowanus is conceived as a three-dimensional neighborhood of building blocks stacked to frame a central park cascading down towards the canal waterfront.
The rational volumes are chiseled and chamfered, opening up the cor ners to create terraces,
entrances, and outdoor spaces. The resultant architecture provides a plethora of niches for all
forms of life - urban and intimate, public and private - within and around. " - Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director, BIG Residents and visitors are welcomed to 175 Third Street by a rhythm of chamfered entry points that gently pull back from the street, providing intuitive wayfinding and softening the building’s presence amongst its landmarked neighbors: the Coignet Stone Company building, the American Can Company building, and the adjacent Powerhouse Arts building. The ground floor will host a mix of active retail and artist spaces, weaving the building into the fabric of the creative neighborhood.

“The building’s massing is defined by a series of purposeful shifts and chamfered corners in response to programmatic needs and the site’s contextual zoning constraints. A consistent structural grid anchors the cast -in- place concrete façade, which reflects the modular rhythm of the residential units and accommodates expansive floor-to-ceiling windows. The concrete’srough texture enhances articulation at the human scale, while referencing the industrial heritage and grit of Gowanus. ” - Martin Voelkle, Partner, BIG

Located within a flood zone, the sloping waterfront esplanade designed by Field Operations in collaboration with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation provides a protective buffer that can absorb water and accommodate flooding in storm events. The public park imagines a multi- use recreation court, a dog run, a mounded lawn, fitness nooks, art sculptures, a variety of planting, and seating arranged for users to enjoy the newly imagined water's edge.

“The site at 175 Third Street presents unique opportunities not available elsewhere along the Gowanus Canal. Most notably, its low elevation at the water’s edge allows for a much closer, more accessible connection to the canal. This distinctive feature als o supports the creation of a resilient meadow - an ecologically rich landscape designed to enhance habitat and offer an immersive natural experience.” - Karen Tamir, Associate Partner, Field Operations

Designated as an Ultra-Low-Energy building, 175 Third Street is a fully electrified, high-
performance structure projected to exceed energy code requirements by 15%. The entire
structure is strategically elevated, ensuring long-term resilience and uninterrupted livability for its residents in the face of a changing climate. With epic views of Manhattan and the Statue of
Liberty, 175 Third Street also includes areas for fitness; spaces for socializing and entertaining;
and family-friendly amenities – all culminating in a rooftop with lounging areas and an outdoor
pool.
175 Third Street joins BIG’s growing portfolio in New York City, which includes VIA 57 West, the
recently completed Wildflower Film Studios, and the East Side Coastal Resiliency project, which
aims to which aims to protect over 110,000 New Yorkers from future storm events while
enhancing the East River waterfront with amenities for the community.

BIG TEAM
Partner-in-Charge: Bjarke Ingels, Martin Voelkle

Project Manager: Michelle Stromsta

Design Lead: Jason Wu

Project Architect: Christina Papadopoulou

Team: Alejandra Cortes, Andreas Buettner, Artem Chouliak, Benjamin Caldwell, Changbin Kim,
Douglas Brooks, Eliza Austin, Evan James Hotary, Giulia Frittoli, Jan Leenknegt, Kirat Pandher,
Luca McLaughlin, Margaret Tyrpa, Mateo Deza, Matt Adler, Pauline Lavie-Luong, Petch
Peewsook, Sungmin Kim, Qyu-Ri Kim, Vi Madrazo

Other participants: AKRF, bucharest.studio, dencityworks | architecture, DeSimone, Ettinger Engineering Associates, Field Operations, Fried Frank, Hatfield Group, Impact Environmental, Jenkins and Huntington

Renderers: bucharest.studio