528 Jefferson Street, Hoboken

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As a child we stack building blocks aligning the edges to be perfectly straight. We further our curiosity by rotating the boxes to play with form. Positive & negative spaces are a result of the block rotation giving us endless possibilities. As we age the building blocks & their rigidity become the basis of our urban context. Why can we not challenge the rigidity of the streetscape of the classic city block? 

Alternating angled planes create a fluttering structure and this split from conventional form is contextually emphasized through contrasting materials. The voids formed in the polished white cast stone exterior are further delineated with a warm western red cedar cladding. The cedar marks the center axis and the pivot point of the rotation. Each rotation brings the interaction with the city closer or further away. Vast glazing further emphasizes the building form and invites the city inhabitants to share the interior contemporary expressions. 

The buildings rear façade as a utilitarian identity of its own. The use of the thoughtful colored aluminum cladding variations hints of the separation of use within. The building’s purpose is to house two residential units. The open plan interiors extend the full depth of the building to further the transparency of the architecture.