sebastian sacco

Bio
Are.na
LinkedIn
Spotify
Resume
Portfolio
Mementos


Architecture, design, and photography in Brooklyn, NY.

Urban Cohousing In Bed-Stuy

In collaboration with Saanvi Soni
Critic: Christian Lynch
Class: Comprehensive Design 2 (Arch_302)
Program: Live work cohousing building 
Location: Franklin Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn


Bed-Stuy has lower labor force participation and employment rates compared to the rest of the city, alongside ongoing initiatives to attract more small businesses. In response to these conditions, we tailored our programs to support cottage industry workers—individuals who run small manufacturing operations from their homes. Our offerings include workshops for metalworking, printmaking, woodworking, fiber arts, pop-up shop spaces, and a flexible conference room where residents can share knowledge and host social events for the community.

The project’s overall design features two horizontal bars interwoven with “volumes” (see orange and grey model) that shift functions as they move through the building. These spaces begin as communal areas for leisure and play, define cross-grain circulation in the center, and end with workshops at the rear of the site. To support the co-housing aspect, we redefined the residential units by blurring the boundaries between public and private spaces. Most units have operable accordion doors, allowing them to expand into communal areas, while each floor includes semi-private workspaces tucked between units and corridors.

Inspired by the social function of front stoops in the neighborhood, we incorporated this idea by materially defining zones in the corridors and adding small 'stoops' where neighbors can gather and display their work. At the heart of the project is a circulation system—composed of stairs and platforms—that both connects the floors and provides space for rest or conversation, encouraging spontaneous interactions and idea exchanges among residents.


Building Services Diagrams (above)
Precedent Study of Alvaro Siza’s SAAL Bouca (below)

Prev    Next