Situated at the corner of 4th Avenue and 1st Street in the coveted Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, 251 1st by ODA New York is the firm’s latest manifestation of its steadfast commitment to improving quality of life in urban areas.
In this case, ODA’s inflected the building’s upper massing with a cascade of setbacks and terraces, yielding substantial outdoor space, as well as multiple exposures for units.
 

 

Description of the project by ODA New York

In addition to light and outdoor area, playing with the massing in this way also provides a sensitive contextual nod: A more formal, closed exterior on bustling 4th Avenue—suitable for the major commercial artery—gives way to the porous push and pull of the terracing along 1st Street, design language meant to mimic the small scale of area brownstones and to engage with 1st’s intimate, more residential quality.

In this interaction between disparate exterior elements, 251 1st also references an abstract undercurrent—the generational and cultural shift, as Brooklyn, a once sleepy, largely residential outer borough, continues its transformation into one of NYC’s great cultural epicenters. In other words, both legs of Brooklyn’s changing identity receive expression on the exterior of 251 1st.

Inside, ODA’s design is conceived as a kind of urban oasis. While the clean lines and unabashed geometry of the contemporary canon are prominent on the exterior, the lobby—open planned, full-floored and attended 24 hours (via doorman and virtual concierge)—has a softer, distinctly natural, almost zen-like aura, with a strong emphasis on materials: a rich medley of woods, concrete, and metals. In the lobby’s lounge areas, living green wall receive ample light through transparent front and rear glass.

Units, in contrast, feature muted palettes—and are, per usual, elegantly appointed. Wide plank white oaks floors lay beneath soaring ceilings, circumscribed by floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors. Powder rooms, secondary baths, and master baths are outfitted with Italian marble, imported porcelain, and white honed marble, respectively. And eleven light-filled penthouses boast panoramic vistas reaching from the Manhattan skyline to the Verrezano-Narrows Bridge.

And, as ODA residents have come to expect, the building features a generous slew of amenities, from the familiar—two sun-soaked courtyards, a landscaped terrace—to the luxuriantly unexpected: an entry floor library, stroller valet, fitness/yoga room, and even a pet grooming station, among others.

“251 1st street allowed us to give a new dimension to the idea of humanizing the façade, and in the process, pose a simple question: what exactly is a building façade? Is it simply an aesthetic mask, or is it an integral part of the life and experience of the building? How distinct should the differences be between inside and out, private and communal, between the building and the street life below? Situated on the corner of 1st street, an intimate tree lined stretch of brownstones, and the commercial post-industrialized 4th Ave, this building integrates both aspects of density and community. Standing higher than the neighboring buildings permits sweeping views of Manhattan, both through expansive windows and from wide outdoor gardens, while still maintaining the feel of a small town community.

With its formal enclosed face along 4th Ave giving way to a highly fragmented facade along 1st street, the building also introduces an alternative for residential corner buildings to engage with both the commercial avenue and residential street.

And at the end of the day, for us, that is what Architecture is. A vehicle with which we can seek new ways to improve peoples lives, not just those who call our buildings home but for the surrounding community as well.”

Eran Chen, Founder and Executive Director ODA New York

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Architects
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ODA New York
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Developer
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Adam America Real Estate
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Address
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251 1st Street, Brooklyn, NY, USA
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Area
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80,000 sf
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ODA is a New York based architecture and design firm. In the nine years since their inception, the have designed 45 buildings in NYC, encompassing a broad range of scales and typologies.

Eran Chen AIA, LEED®, is the founder and executive director of ODA. Chen is known for creating buildings that are radically innovative as well as fiscally and ecologically responsible. Since its inception in 2007, ODA has quickly become one of the most prolific and influential firms of its kind. Having developed groundbreaking residential projects in New York, Chen's work has been widely featured in such publications as The New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Spaces, Architectural Digest, Interior Design, and World Architecture News, among others. Chen's contributions to architecture have been recognized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Boston Society of Architects (BSA). He received a B.Arch Diploma with Honors from the Bezalel School of Art and Design in Jerusalem, where he serves on the board and as guest lecturer. He is a registered architect both in the State of New York and Boston and a member of The American Institute of Architects. Prior to founding ODA, Chen served as a principal at Perkins Eastman NYC.

P. Christian Bailey, AIA, LEED(r), studied architecture at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. After graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture, he worked with design/build firms in Atlanta on various notable housing and furniture projects. Prior to ODA, Christian was a senior associate at Perkins Eastman Architects in New York City. During his seven years at the firm, Christian provided project management and design leadership for multifamily housing, hospitality, interiors, health care, and educational projects. Christian is a founding principal of the architecture and design practice, ODA. He is a registered architect in the State of New York, a member of the American Institute of Architecture, a LEED accredited professional and is best known for his mildly sympathetic manner and generally nonplussed attitude toward everything.

Ryoko Okada. As Principal and Director of Interior Architecture / Design, Ryoko Okada leads a team of skilled professionals to produce highly original, custom solutions for residential, hospitality and commercial clients. Her passion and sophisticated sense of color, grounded in a knowledge of materials and finishes combine to form a distinguished vision that provides for uniquely innovative and memorable creations. Ryoko, a certified interior designer in the State of New York, has had an extensive history of working on a variety of interior and architectural design projects in the United States and abroad. Her broad professional experience includes numerous hospitality, residential, retail, and theater projects. She also has years of experience in creating client-specific custom finishes and furniture designs. Ryoko received a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from Chiba University in Japan and a Master’s degree in Interior Design from Pratt Institute in New York. Prior to joining ODA her other selected firm experiences include Jeffrey Beers International, Rockwell Architecture, Planning and Design, Perkins Eastman and Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Hospitality Design, Interior Design and New York Spaces, among others.
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