It will become part of the Atlantic Yards Ensemble, which was originally designed by Frank Gehry. On the site of the industrial zone in the center of Brooklyn, residential and office buildings were to appear, including high-rise, shops and infrastructure facilities, as well as an arena. This large-scale project sparked protests from local residents, who believed that it would disrupt the existing mid-rise buildings in this New York county.
While the debate continued between the authorities, developers and townspeople, Gehry left the project and was replaced by architects of the New York studio ShoP. Their version of "Atlantic Yards" was initially devoid of "symbolism"; the first was the project of the Barclay's Center stadium, now it was the turn of the residential complex.
The B2 Bklyn, which will reach 32 floors, is set to be the tallest prefabricated building in the world. It will be built from 17 types of modules on a steel frame; the size of each will be 4 mx 9 mx 3 m. No more than three such modules will be needed per room. The factory will not only make the base, but finish the finishing, right up to the installation of switches and refrigerators.
In situ, the modules will be reinforced on steel columns with additional crossbars for added strength. Despite the absence of a traditional frame, the building, the Arup engineers who worked on its project, assure, will be no less durable than a regular tower.
In addition to B2 Bklyn, Atlantic Yards will have several more prefabricated residential buildings; construction of B2 Bklyn will start at the beginning of 2012 and will be completed in mid-2013.
N. F.
