Greenpoint has lived disparate incarnations, from forests and farmland to a manufacturing hub and center of Polish immigrants; to an extension of “hipster” Williamsburg to an ever more gentrified community of professionals.

In 2005, the city approved a major rezoning of the waterfront, a formerly industrial area, allowing for larger-scaled residential structures, along with inclusionary housing and open space. The impact of the more recent recession, however, has slowed the ambitions of developers, leaving many projects incomplete or scrapped altogether.

Design in 5 invites you to design a building proposal within this context of a neighborhood in transition. In the coming years, Greenpoint will need to balance internal issues like demographic integration, preservation of architectural and cultural heritage, and toxic industrial remediation, while deciding upon its relationship with the city at large through adaptations in public transportation and infrastructure.

Participants will be asked to design a multifunctional building or buildings and open space on a formerly industrial plot, combining residential units with community-enhancing activity spaces. At three points during the charrette, a new constraint or demand will be announced which will require major revisions to the project designs.

Following the two-hour design exercise, all four iterations of the participants’ design proposals will be pinned-up for a discussion led by an invited jury. Two projects will be published and displayed online on Urban Omnibus. Drinks and other refreshments will be served during the pin-up and discussion.

The charrette is intended for young designers five years or less out of school or under age 35. You may work as an individual or in a team of up to four people.

Registration is required. Registration for Sketch120 is $10 for League members; $15 for non-members. All participants must register individually here. If you would like to participate as a team, please email anderson@archleague.org specifying the names.  Additional information will be provided to registrants on April 11th.

About Design in 5
Design in 5 is a group of the Architectural League of New York, targeting designers of all disciplines 5 years or less out of school. Design in 5 responds to this youngest group of designers, providing unique opportunities and activities for exchanging ideas across disciplines, fostering camaraderie, and above all, having fun.

http://archleague.org/2011/04/sketch-120-greenpoint-edition