Bernheimer Architecture studio, founded and led by Parsons SCE faculty Andrew Bernheimer, served as architect of record on an affordable housing property for a waterfront site on Staten Island. Located in Stapleton, the project is expected to bring 360 affordable units as well as a social program for seniors, medical space and a counseling center. Based on a comprehensive and integrated approach to tackling climate issues, the innovative design will connect residents and the community to the waterfront as part of the City’s redevelopment plan to transform a 35-acre decommissioned Navy Base into a mixed-use neighborhood.

Design components include:

• Thoughtfully placed building entrances that decrease the need for deployable flood barriers.
• Sloped lawn and landscape areas that direct stormwater into a series of bioswales, channels designed to absorb or carry runoff from heavy rain and reduce the load on the sewer system.
• Dynamic, undulating, and reflective street walls to enhance pedestrian experience and create a sense of place, while also connecting the site to the waterfront.
• Plus, significant landscaped areas to promote good health and active lifestyles, including a walking path on the rooftop, which also contains a solar array and rooftop farm for residents.