P I X L E X   T O W E R

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Type: Mixed Use 

Status: In Construction

Year: 2015

Partner: Hany Rizkalla Architect PLLC

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The site is situated on 1733 Lexington Avenue in East Harlem. The building development will give rise to a small contemporary mixed-use project. The structure will be eight stories tall with commercial storefront, an ambulatory care center, and residential units; commercial space and residential will total 2,209 square feet.

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The envelope is divided by the exterior’s cladding; this one is extruded along the first floors creating balconies for the residential units. The building’s form gently retreats from the full volumetric shape of the lot as the structure rises; this allows for the creation of terraces that provide beautiful views on surrounding neighborhood.

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The building form is inspired by the multitude of shapes of the urban environment that surround the structure. On a large scale, buildings outline the silhouette of Manhattan like a composition of many diverse pixels; in this scenario, on a small scale, the volumetric form is created by the same type of architectural configuration. 

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The subtractive methodology of volumetric composition allows for greater interaction between private and pubic spaces. The clear programatic division of the two is burred with the various terraces and freestanding balconies. On a design level, the ribbon structure ties the different parts of the program, the public with the private, and renders the whole design compact. ​On a practical level, the freestanding structure is a plug-in structure with minimal points of attachment. This allows to save energy consumption and avoid thermal bridging.