Architectural Narrative

Positioned at the confluence of Newtown Creek and the East River, Greenpoint Landing marks a striking transformation of Brooklyn’s formerly industrial waterfront. Once defined by maritime and petroleum-related uses that severed the neighborhood from the shoreline, the site has been reimagined as part of a broader urban strategy initiated by the 2005 rezoning of Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Within this framework, the project introduces significant new residential density while restoring public access to the river.
Situated at the meeting point of two intersecting urban grids, the site presented complex spatial conditions—a constrained footprint, trapezoidal geometry, and sweeping views of Manhattan. Rather than imposing two uniform towers, the architects responded with a sculptural solution: a pair of interrelated high-rises that shift, taper, and expand in dialogue with one another and their surroundings. By reducing the tower footprints, they achieved a 60-foot separation—more in line with the rhythm of city streets than private enclaves.
The resulting massing is both dynamic and contextual. The taller tower leans eastward, framing dramatic skyline views and projecting a confident presence to the neighborhood, while the lower structure opens toward a new waterfront park. Their interlocking forms appear as though cleaved from a shared volume, joined visually through a series of terraces, cantilevers, and stepped setbacks. This formal strategy allows the buildings to read as distinct yet intrinsically linked.
Materiality plays a central role in anchoring the project within its context. A rigorous grid of oversized windows is set within a textured envelope of precast concrete panels, whose angled surfaces create a subtle interplay of light and shadow. These details resonate with the crafted qualities of Greenpoint’s historic housing stock, echoing shingled façades at a new scale.