Urban Plan: Following the sun

FOLLOWING THE SUN

In the Domino Sugar Factory complex, a new building is creating a new model for sustainability. byDan Metz

ONE SOUTH FIRST cuts an unusual figure across the Brooklyn skyline. The new mixed-use tower soars above its surroundings, overlooking Williamsburg and the East River. The center is hollow, letting more light permeate the unusual lattice of concrete and broad windows that form the facade of the building. As the sun moves across the sky, One South First’s unique design and position allows indirect light to warm and brighten the space from different angles, following the rhythm of the day with shifting light and shadow.

One South First is part of the new Domino Development Project from Two Trees Management. The series of five buildings, each designed by a different architect, is growing out of Williamsburg’s Domino Sugar Factory, once a central point of industry for the neighborhood. One South First will be the second tower to reach completion--the first, 325 Kent, opened in 2017. The architects of One South First, Cook Fox, chose their space for the location. “We took this project because it is the Northernmost site and the one that meets historic Williamsburg,” said Cook Fox Director of Communications Jared Gilbert, “so the rhythm of the storefronts

VIEW FROM THE TOP Bigger windows increase sunlight throughout the building, cutting down on the need for artificial lighting.

and the pattern that you get as you walk down a street are reflected in the street-level facade of this building.”

Cook Fox’s design is one of the more unique in New York City, and one of the tallest in Brooklyn. It was inspired by Domino’s sugar crystals, incorporated into the irregular regularity of the facade. The shorter leg, identifiable by its larger windows, will house Ten Grand, the commercial side of the building, while the residential tower reaches up and over until it meets the top.

Inside, the apartments--ranging from studios to two-bed-two-bath--come fully furnished. Between their doors and massive windows, each apartment comes complete with a washer and dryer, as well as a beautiful spacious living and dining area. The largest units come with walk-in closets almost large enough to be their own bedroom.

And the views from those windows are spectacular. On the waterfront side, taller apartments have a view of the Manhattan skyline, stretching from One World Trade Center to the Empire State Building, while lower apartments get a beautiful view from above the East River. From the apartments on the inland side, residents can see as far as Long Island on a clear enough day.

Where commercial and residential meet, One South First boasts a beautiful open lounge furnished with greenery, workspaces, and comfortable seating. The fourth floor has an outdoor deck with a pool, open to residents and commercial tenants. On the third floor, a fully-furnished fitness center sits next to brainstorming rooms with whiteboard walls and conference rooms lined with chairs. “A lot of this is about connecting between the commercial and the residential spaces,” says Rebecca Epstein, Director of Residential Leasing for Two Trees, “so there are a lot of opportunities to do that.”

But One South First truly shines with its focus on natural and environment-friendly features. The architecture of One South First is based on biophilic design, a strategy to enhance our connectedness with natural systems. When we interact with nature, we experience physiological responses which increase our sense of wellbeing. For this reason, One South First’s rooftop garden and outdoor rec space are furnished with plants and greenery. It is also why the building is positioned to create natural changes in light and shadow as the sun moves across the sky.

SUGAR SUGAR One South First/Ten Grand rises next to sister site 325 Kent, and the old Domino Sugar Factory.

The facade itself is an innovation of construction technology: it is the first large-scale project to use 3D-printed pour molds for their concrete. Cook Fox worked with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Gate Precast, and Precast Concrete Institute, to create 3D-printed molds which can be used a factor of 10-20 times more than previous plywood molds, saving time, energy, and resources.

And then there is the cutting-edge energysaving technology: cogeneration, or cogen, the sequential generation of two different forms of energy from a single primary source. In this case, the primary source is a gas turbine. Compared to pulling energy off of the grid, often during peak hours, on-site energy generation from the turbine is nearly three times as efficient.

The second form of energy, heat recapture, recycles unused energy. Excess heat from the system is usually released through a pipe leading up to the roof. At One South First, that excess heat from Ten Grand is recaptured, put

through a heat exchanger, and used to heat water in the residential areas of the building, feeding dishwashers and hot water pumps.

The final numbers on saved energy won’t be in until the building has been fully occupied for a year, but CookFox is confident in its reduced carbon footprint and energy usage. “Every project that we take on, we’re always trying to find unique opportunities to improve the performance of the building,” says Gilbert, “I think that good, smart tenants are looking for buildings that are as good and smart as they are.” tengrandstreet.com DT