450 Warren as a New Form of Living Together, The Work of SO-IL

450 Warren, located in Brooklyn, New York, USA, is a former Gowanus industrial area rich in historic housing models. It was developed by TANKHOUSE and designed by SO-IL, to recreate outdoor communal spaces as a new form of human beings living together.

450 Warren view from the street, Photo by Iwan Baan

This courtyard apartment concept has a long history in the USA, especially in temperate climates. Designed with shady outdoor corridors and a centralized playroom can be a year-round facility. With that history, the SO-IL team created this condo by developing a free urban multi-unit residence, playing an active role in making the city more livable, closer to the outdoors, and establishing conversations with others.

450 Warren Communal Garden, Photo by Iwan Baan

450 Warren is one of four planned collaborations between SO-IL architects and TANKHOUSE developers to create livable buildings and encourage community building. SO-IL designed this building by arranging three towers containing 18 residential units with a main park connecting the building with hallways, corridors, stairs, and outside areas. In addition, an arched concrete bridge is covered with transparent mesh on the upper floor as a link and natural lighting and lighting for building activities.

450 Warren ground floor corridor, Photo by Iwan Baan

450 Warren upstairs corridor, Photo by Iwan Baan

The park's existence as a green open space makes a living close to each other more sustainable. Although three gardens bring natural circulation and shades of green within the site, the use of textured bricks surrounding each volume and courtyard adds to the natural feel.

450 Warren site plan, Source by SO-IL

In this design, SO-IL adds a front porch to each residence that functions as a transitional space between public space and private space. In addition, there is a living room as an additional filter between the inside and outside. The outdoor garden is a large terrace that expands any outdoor living space. The residence also has a private balcony as support from the street to the master bedroom. The large terrace also gives the residence three windows on each side with a combination of window sizes so that the atmosphere in the room can change according to natural light and circulation, and residents get views of the garden and the surrounding environment.

450 Warren upstairs corridor, Photo by Iwan Baan

450 Warren ground floor corridor, Photo by Iwan Baan

450 Warren is a picture of urban life that offers a more decent life by presenting nature in the middle of a dwelling that also functions as a communal space for its residents to interact. In addition, SO-IL and TANKHOUSE free residents to design residential interiors for comfort and intimacy of residents.

450 Warren top view, Photo by Iwan Baan