ODA's Building Design Sets a Higher Standard for Outdoor Spaces

The mixed-use residential building in Brooklyn features a 25,500 square-foot landscaped rooftop, and a 19,000 square-foot courtyard.

10 Montieth Street is a residential-commercial building with outdoor amenities on steroids. The design of the mixed-use building by architecture firm ODA sited in the up-and-coming Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, could be a game changer for outdoor amenities in multifamily design. The 379,675 square-foot building will include 5,602 square-feet of above-ground retail, 392 residential units (half of which are accessible to private outdoor space), and an additional 5,089 square-feet of space below-ground with parking.
ODA's design for 10 Montieth Street will be groundbreaking in Bushwick, since it will be the "largest residential development project ever built in the area by an enormous margin," but the design is most significant due to ODA's focus on community, active living, and green spaces.

The square footage ODA dedicates to outdoor living spaces is the most significant aspect of their design, with 44,500 square feet of landscaped space accessible to residents in the courtyard and roof combined.

The building's design is thoughtful, and aims to foster a sense of community among future residents. The heart of the structure is the 19,000 square-foot interior courtyard on the ground floor, which "serves as a visual and physical connector" between the units surrounding it and community common areas.

The courtyard space includes a fire pit, terraced area, an amphitheater, dog run, and park space. An additional 9,400 square-feet of interior recreational space built around the courtyard provides further amenities for residents, like a rock climbing wall, screening room, bike storage, cafe, day/evening lounges, library, gym, and study areas. The main event remains to be the roof however, with unique sloping angles that provide the upper four floors direct access to the green space, and more outdoor activities than what's standard for an apartment building in the concrete jungle.

The modulating landscaped roof (25,500 square-feet) includes:

urban farming areas
an extensive green roof
a running and hiking course
outdoor cross training facility
yoga and meditation areas
landscaped park space
barbecue and eating areas

While multifamily developers have placed emphasis on outdoor spaces in recent years, ODA's design revolves around it, and offers residents an oasis typically not seen in an urban environment, where residential living and the outdoors blend seamlessly.