Reimagining a Midtown Office Building as Housing
As the COVID-19 pandemic and other trends dramatically alter how we work and live, we propose a radical transformation of underperforming, midcentury office buildings into dynamic residential and commercial spaces.
![Reimagining a Midtown Office Building as Housing](https://www.aro.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Reimagining-Midtown-Office_1-1410x793.jpg)
Invited by Curbed to reimagine the future of New York’s antiquated midcentury office building, we propose cutting away the mass of the building to create plant-filled, exterior courts that provide apartments with light, fresh air, and space for vertical circulation and community activities.
![Reimagining a Midtown Office Building as Housing](https://www.aro.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Reimagining-Midtown-Office_9.gif)
Reusing the existing foundation and structure and using low-carbon mass timber for new floors reduces the building’s embodied energy contribution. Replacing the existing exterior with a super performing ‘passive-house’ façade, dramatically improves both energy performance and indoor comfort.
An inclusive range of housing units and a mix of commercial office space and retail creates a vibrant community where residents live, work, and socialize near their homes, ensuring healthier indoor and outdoor environments and mitigating climate change.