Studio Analogies

2% OFF - 343 47th St Development

New York, NY, USA | Mixed-Use Residential | New Development | 12,250 sf , 1,000 sm)
Project Lead: Jiageng Guo
Design: Will Sun, Xinyi Xie, Jerry Zhu
CM: Airitan Management  
Status: Under Construction

The rigidity of the Manhattan grid, proximity to the Theater District, and a historic park establish the layered constraints of this Hell’s Kitchen development. While community review demanded a conventional tenement typology—base, windows, and crown—the project finds its voice within the a 2% (12-inch) zoning tolerance. This limited allowance becomes the project’s primary design instrument. While the interior follows a standard residential layout (one two-bedroom unit per floor) to maximize the owner’s assets, the façade negotiates the tension between inherited regulation and contemporary expression:
  • The Base: A terra-cotta plane is offset to create depth within the allowable limits.
  • The Windows: Angled aluminum frames generate exterior character while expanding the interior aperture for residents.
  • The Crown: Rotated brick courses at the parapet anchor the façade’s movement.
Through these calibrated offsets, the building introduces a subtle amniety within the building and a "off-rhythm" to the neighborhood. The project serves as a reflection on the rules that prescribe sameness in Manhattan—from special districts to typological expectations—challenging the rigid relationship between the old and new.
















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