THE BLOCKS: ROOFTOP STADIUM FOR AN URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD
New York, NY
Program Apartments, Stadium, Community Spaces
Size 3,800,000 sf
Client Archstorming
Year Competition 2018
The siting of the stadium blocks relative to the street grids enable three plazas of different sizes and characters to be created. The east plaza is shared with the newly renovated McCarren Park Pool. The north and west plazas become landscape amenities for the Williamsburg and Greenpoint neighborhoods beyond. Thanks to the five streets that cut through the stadium, circulation and entries are organized to allow stadium and residential occupancy to function separately but simultaenously. Along with the perimeter plazas, the newly extended N 13th through 15th streets run east west offer entry points to the rooftop stadium. All residential and retail entries are primarily located off of north south running Bedford Avenue and Driggs Avenue.
Rooted in the context of Brooklyn and inspired by the prototypical New York courtyard residential block, THE BLOCKS creates a 60,000 seat stadium while providing 3,064 affordable to middle income units.
THE BLOCKS extends the primary streets of Williamsburg across twelve city blocks. These newly created blocks anchor the stadium, provide ideal street level circulation, and orient the field optimally with an angle roughly equal to the direction of the sun at half time in an afternoon game. The volume and roof pitch of each housing block is calibrated to augment views for every tiered stand around the elevated soccer field, under which spaces for teams and back of house are arranged. The rooftop space of each building are designed to include a concourse, stadium seating, as well as lounges and media spaces. For both spectators and players alike, the voids between the blocks and the high rooftop seats offer intriguing framed views of neighborhood landmarks, the east river, and the Manhattan skyline.
The residential portion of the project coexists with the stadium. As a result of the varied volumes of the blocks, the residences range from three-story townhouses closest to the field to twelve-story apartment buildings at the perimeter. Except for the two blocks closest to the field, all ten outer blocks employ a courtyard strategy that provides each residence with access to light, air, and tree lined views.
One of the biggest issues that plague large purpose built venues is that the use for such structures diminish significantly after the event is over. The BLOCKS solve this problem by being the first building that functions simultaneously as housing and a stadium. When the World Cup departs, The BLOCKS is imagined to be used recreationally by neighboring residents and nearby schools as a football stadium. In addition, each one of the 12 rooftops can also be adapted to hold individual events such as theater performances and familial gatherings.
