The adaptive reuse of a 1920s commercial building plants a seed for the introduction of a new, more regenerative approach to housing in New York City. Situated at the dead end of West 128th Street and framed by a retired MTA bus repair center, the Mink Building, and a block with a deep history of manufacturing use, this site is contextualized by the idea of maintenance as “work.” Kitchen and garden maintenance parallel the site with strong associations of daily, dreadful upkeep, ultimately hindering the possibility of connections between domestic and urban scales. Through the integration of housing – specifically kitchens – and gardens, “Rooted In-Between” shifts the idea of maintenance from “work” to “social space” and “play.” Preservation of the existing building shell coupled with modular units – some with private kitchens and some without — reveal the “in-between,” outdoor spaces which become the focus of the project. Stairways, corners, and balconies host shared kitchens, gardens, and social gathering spaces that foster human interaction. A porous approach to form prioritizes natural light exposure, weaving root systems vertically through the “in-between” and cultivating social overgrowth that challenges societal pressures and preconceptions of housing.
