The Block
2022 / Philadelphia, PA
LIVING ON THE EDGE
Big box buildings sited on abandoned industrial lots can bring new retail amenities to underserved neighborhoods, but their associated surface parking lots can negatively impact urban street life. This 49-unit mixed-use multifamily situated on an existing surface parking lot in Philadelphia’s Callowhill zone bridges that gap, adding density and supporting pedestrian walkability while taking advantage of existing car-centric development in a novel typology.
ELEVATED EXPERIENCE
The building incorporates an unusual approach to circulation, taking cues from Philadelphia’s rowhouse fabric. Minimizing interior corridors, it relies instead on an elevated, landscaped deck as primary access for upper level walk-up units. Buffering apartment entries from surface parking and retail below, the deck features multiple outdoor amenity zones that spill out from the central lobby and clubroom. Decked seating areas, gravel lounge pits and a turfed dog park showcase views of the city skyline. Corner units are accessed through intimate interior stairs serving smaller groupings of four to six units. Playful angular geometry and colorful walls enliven the building’s common spaces throughout.
SEE THROUGH
The building features multiple apertures in both plan and section, opening unexpected views and enhancing pedestrian access at street level. These openings break up the street wall, fostering a sense of porosity across the building’s layered streetscape, reconnecting a de-activated urban edge with fresh pedestrian experiences for residents and city dwellers alike.
HYBRID TYPE
Located on 5th Street, a major north-south connector linking multiple Philadelphia neighborhoods, the building’s hybrid program spans its disparate site conditions, acknowledging its contrasting urban and suburban frontages. Ground-floor live/work units line 5th Street and a pedestrian passage connects to retail facing the parking lot at the rear.
