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Alafia is a new wellness-oriented resilient development designed to address the chronic social, economic, and health disparities in a historically underserved area. As part of New York State’s Vital Brooklyn initiative, Dattner Architects designed a master plan that outlines the phased redevelopment of a 25+acre decommissioned public site and is now designing the first buildings.

A robust offering of affordable housing, health and wellness programs, local employment, bike and walking paths, and active and passive recreation are incorporated to benefit residents of the new development and the surrounding communities. Once completed, Alafia will bring over 2,400 affordable apartments to the neighborhood, including units for the formerly homeless, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and seniors. This is the result of community engagement and the collaborative efforts of a public-private-nonprofit partnership.

Alafia is a new wellness-oriented resilient development designed to address the chronic social, economic, and health disparities in a historically underserved area. As part of New York State’s Vital Brooklyn initiative, Dattner Architects designed a master plan that outlines the phased redevelopment of a 25+acre decommissioned public site and is now designing the first buildings.

A robust offering of affordable housing, health and wellness programs, local employment, bike and walking paths, and active and passive recreation are incorporated to benefit residents of the new development and the surrounding communities. Once completed, Alafia will bring over 2,400 affordable apartments to the neighborhood, including units for the formerly homeless, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and seniors. This is the result of community engagement and the collaborative efforts of a public-private-nonprofit partnership.

15-minute Neighborhood

Alafia is conceived as a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood contained within a 15-minute walking radius, promoting a healthy lifestyle. Although primarily residential, the neighborhood offers a robust mixed-use program that will support local community needs. Healthcare, community resources, recreation, healthy food, shopping, work, education, and cultural events are all available within this zone.

The goal is to meet the daily needs of residents, reduce their dependence on cars, and encourage the social and health benefits of walking outdoors. Pedestrian and public transportation to the neighborhood and the larger city are promoted and remain essential.

Alafia is conceived as a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood contained within a 15-minute walking radius, promoting a healthy lifestyle. Although primarily residential, the neighborhood offers a robust mixed-use program that will support local community needs. Healthcare, community resources, recreation, healthy food, shopping, work, education, and cultural events are all available within this zone.

The goal is to meet the daily needs of residents, reduce their dependence on cars, and encourage the social and health benefits of walking outdoors. Pedestrian and public transportation to the neighborhood and the larger city are promoted and remain essential.

A Sustainable Community

At Alafia, buildings, open spaces, training, and employment programs are all part of a coordinated plan to provide a healthy and environmentally sustainable community. The development builds upon best practices in resiliency and sustainability to create a model project for responsible density in New York’s coastal communities. Sustainable elements include site-wide reduced energy consumption through Passive House Design for all residential buildings, which will not only reduce energy use, but improve indoor air quality, and provide a better, healthier environment for residents, and deliver buildings that stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Geothermal and stormwater management components are integrated throughout the campus.

The site has its own micro-grid, and additional on-site green energy generation is provided by rooftop solar panel arrays and a fuel cell coupled with a biodigester, powered by waste from on-site urban farms. By utilizing these methods, the project will support energy related job training, reduce operating costs, and provide vital emergency power options to the coastal community.

At Alafia, buildings, open spaces, training, and employment programs are all part of a coordinated plan to provide a healthy and environmentally sustainable community. The development builds upon best practices in resiliency and sustainability to create a model project for responsible density in New York’s coastal communities. Sustainable elements include site-wide reduced energy consumption through Passive House Design for all residential buildings, which will not only reduce energy use, but improve indoor air quality, and provide a better, healthier environment for residents, and deliver buildings that stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Geothermal and stormwater management components are integrated throughout the campus.

The site has its own micro-grid, and additional on-site green energy generation is provided by rooftop solar panel arrays and a fuel cell coupled with a biodigester, powered by waste from on-site urban farms. By utilizing these methods, the project will support energy related job training, reduce operating costs, and provide vital emergency power options to the coastal community.

Phase 1: Buildings C1/C2 and C3

The C1, C2, and C3 buildings will offer affordable and supportive housing, exterior and interior amenity spaces, a social services suite, a health clinic and retail spaces. Each building is tallest at the perimeter or street facing side producing a context appropriate scale along the highly visible Erskine Street and forming a strong streetwall opening into the Retail Plaza. They will be visible from the center of the site and step down to the south in order to maximize sunlight and minimize the building’s shadows.

The façade is articulated by material variation through recessed breaks and setbacks, and groupings and alternations of windows to break down the street scale. The grouping of windows at the upper levels breaks up the massing and introduces a warm accent color. The ground floor maisonette entries at C3 resemble houses due to their small scale and provide a sense of residential presence. The shared courtyard covers the parking below and includes an urban farm, ping pong area, outdoor dining area, toddler play area, communal lawn, lounge seating areas, and an extensive green roof area. The buildings will be designed to Enterprise Green Communities and Passive House Standards.

The C1, C2, and C3 buildings will offer affordable and supportive housing, exterior and interior amenity spaces, a social services suite, a health clinic and retail spaces. Each building is tallest at the perimeter or street facing side producing a context appropriate scale along the highly visible Erskine Street and forming a strong streetwall opening into the Retail Plaza. They will be visible from the center of the site and step down to the south in order to maximize sunlight and minimize the building’s shadows.

The façade is articulated by material variation through recessed breaks and setbacks, and groupings and alternations of windows to break down the street scale. The grouping of windows at the upper levels breaks up the massing and introduces a warm accent color. The ground floor maisonette entries at C3 resemble houses due to their small scale and provide a sense of residential presence. The shared courtyard covers the parking below and includes an urban farm, ping pong area, outdoor dining area, toddler play area, communal lawn, lounge seating areas, and an extensive green roof area. The buildings will be designed to Enterprise Green Communities and Passive House Standards.

Maintenance Hub

The design of the Maintenance Hub is intended to provide an operationally flexible facility that complies with current and future waste regulations. The centralized trash & recycling collection facility will allow waste, biowaste, and recyclable waste streams from throughout the development to be contained in one central location. The centralized strategy limits the mess, smells, and pests lingering around trash bags piled on sidewalks awaiting collection, along with limiting the noise of garbage trucks and maintenance vehicles within the neighborhood.

The building will house a composting facility to process organic materials with an in-vessel composter. Feedstock will be generated by the adjacent urban farm, Alafia grounds-keeping, a public school, supermarket, and other neighborhood partners. As the operation matures, the facility will be able to accept residential food waste encouraged by the NYC compost project. Processing biowaste creates a closed loop by generating compost as a product that is usable and necessary on site from the discarded organics.

The design of the Maintenance Hub is intended to provide an operationally flexible facility that complies with current and future waste regulations. The centralized trash & recycling collection facility will allow waste, biowaste, and recyclable waste streams from throughout the development to be contained in one central location. The centralized strategy limits the mess, smells, and pests lingering around trash bags piled on sidewalks awaiting collection, along with limiting the noise of garbage trucks and maintenance vehicles within the neighborhood.

The building will house a composting facility to process organic materials with an in-vessel composter. Feedstock will be generated by the adjacent urban farm, Alafia grounds-keeping, a public school, supermarket, and other neighborhood partners. As the operation matures, the facility will be able to accept residential food waste encouraged by the NYC compost project. Processing biowaste creates a closed loop by generating compost as a product that is usable and necessary on site from the discarded organics.

Location
Brooklyn, NY
Area
25+ acres
Clients
L+M Development Partners
Apex Building Group
RiseBoro Community Partnership
Services for the UnderServed
Collaborators
SCAPE Landscape Architecture
Recognition
AIA NY—Design Merit Award
ASLA NY—Community Impact Merit Award
SARA National—Design Merit Award
SARA NY—Design Merit Award
View Project Facts
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Area
25+ acres
Clients
L+M Development Partners
Apex Building Group
RiseBoro Community Partnership
Services for the UnderServed
Collaborators
SCAPE Landscape Architecture
Recognition
AIA NY—Design Merit Award
ASLA NY—Community Impact Merit Award
SARA National—Design Merit Award
SARA NY—Design Merit Award
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