Groen Hoek Boathouse
Brooklyn, NY
International Design Competition:
Jury Selection

The fabrication of this new structure is inspired by the ancient craft of fabric boat building. The defining structure is wrapped with a tight weave canvas and shrunk to the frame with a durable polyurethane finish. The result is an architecture that becomes luminescent in light. The walls become screens that abstract the shadows of the occupants and animate the reflections of water. In an effort to keep the purity of this construction, the program has been categorized into insulated (offices, construction area, etc.) and un-insulated (boat wash, storage, etc) spaces. Those spaces needing to be conditioned are housed in the existing warehouse and defined by canvas roofs and walls. The undulating wall on the exterior defines program on either side triggering happenstance encounters between people, light and shadow. A café has been added as a lookout above the existing building with its own entry allowing it to function into the night as the fabric building glows from within, acting as a beacon of activity for all of the East River to see.