47TH & 7TH FLATS is a project that will achieve two purposes: create high density housing on a small footprint and provide a respectful transition from a multifamily midrise zone to a lowrise residential zone.

Twenty four flats with two levels of below grade parking on a 6400 SF lot equate to a density of 163 dwelling units per acre. Creative placement of vehicular and vertical circulation achieve this.

The program for 47TH & 7TH FLATS responds to two distinct contextual scales. The first being the larger midrise block to the south and dynamic macro scale of transit-oriented Interstate-5, while the second is the micro scale of the residential, pedestrian-oriented 47th Street and the neighborhood to the north. This abrupt shift from fast to slow and transit to dwell serves as the catalyst for formally defining the structure as two distinct masses.

The monolithic gray mass provides both a backstop to the harsh environment of I-5 and as an iconic gateway to the residential neighborhood to the north. The slender ribbon windows minimize the noise and direct evening sun coming from the west while acting as a neighborhood “lantern” after dusk, signifying the shift between the two zones.

The glazed north facade is angled to the neighborhood to the north and east, softening the height transition between zones. The staggered pattern of the panelized system, translucent balconies, and glazing break down the scale of the building along 47th Street, helping to blend into the pedestrian environment.

By responding separately to these two dissimilar contexts the building as a whole serves as a conduit linking these two environments.

Uploads

Images: