In Brooklyn, N.Y., the recently opened Atrium at Sumner offers 132,418 sf of affordable housing for seniors.
The $132 million project includes 190 apartments—132 of them available to senior households earning below or at 50% of the area median income and 57 units available to formerly homeless seniors. Situated on underutilized land at New York City Housing Authority’s Sumner Houses, the 11-story structure includes a ground-level, 8,309-sf community facility and a year-round, 2,760-sf interior community garden.
Studio Libeskind’s design features bold diagonal lines that wrap the building and create a folding form—which the firm describes as “a dynamic yet rational geometric form interrupted by a pattern of open and solid elements.”
“Growing up in social housing in the Bronx gave me a unique perspective on the importance of community and high-quality, affordable housing,” Daniel Libeskind, principal design architect, Studio Libeskind, said in a statement. “I hope this project serves as a powerful example of how good design can positively impact society, especially for those in need.”
The studio and one-bedroom units all have large windows and a variety of open layouts. Amenities include a 24-hour attended lobby, free broadband in common areas and apartments, onsite building manager, an apartment designated for a live-in superintendent, laundry on the second and ninth floors, a multipurpose community room, a library/computer room, bicycle storage room, exercise room, handrails in common areas, and emergency pull cords and built-in air conditioners in each apartment.
The Atrium at Sumner incorporates passive house design principles and uses 60% to 70% less energy than the average NYC apartment building. The sustainable design features high-performance envelope materials and systems and energy-efficient HVAC and ERV systems. The appliances and HVAC systems are all-electric.
Design began in 2017, construction in 2021. Residents started moving into the building in April 2024.
Asking rents for multifamily units increased $8 during the month to $1,721; year-over-year growth grew 30 basis points to 0.9 percent—a normal seasonal growth pattern according to Yardi Matrix.
In her experience as an architect, Megan Valentine AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, WELL AP, Fitwel, Director of Sustainability, KTGY has found three impactful sustainable design decisions: site selection, massing and orientation, and proper window-to-wall ratios.
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