Modular construction has been offered as a cheaper construction alternative and a possible solution for the affordable housing crisis. Now the building typology has a new showcase project in Brooklyn.
Keiko Morris reports: "What is believed to be the world’s tallest modular building made its debut Tuesday in Brooklyn, a 32-story rental tower constructed with prefabricated units stacked like Legos."
Leased by Forest City Ratner Cos. and designed by SHoP Architects and Arup, 461 Dean is a component of the 22-acre Pacific Park Brooklyn development. 461 Dean is the latest in a series of modular building developments, but until now all the projects have been of a much smaller variety.
[This Wall Street Journal article might be behind a paywall for some readers. See also previous coverage by Planetizen and designboom.]
Read the full story: Modular Building Believed to Be World’s Tallest Makes Debut in Brooklyn
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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