Stack Modular Housing - Prefab Affordable Housing, Manhattan, New York

Floor plans / Drawings

Construction Process

Location and contact info

About GLUCK+

Project	The Stack Modular Housing
Architects	GLUCK+
Design Team	Shannon Bambenek, Jacob Chartoff, Marc Gee, Peter L. Gluck, Thomas Gluck, Charlie Kaplan, James Macgillivray, Brian Novello, Silan Yip
Area	37,710 square feet
Structural Engineers	Silman (Foundations), The Harman Group (Modular)
Geotechnical Engineers	Pillori Associates
Mechanical Engineer	Rodkin Cardinale Consulting Engineers
Prefabrication Consultant	Deluxe Building Systems Inc.
Location	Manhattan, New York, USA
Photography	Amy Barkow
Year	2014

Utilizing an off-site construction method and an innovative design strategy, The Stack modular housing has managed to streamline the entire development process and create a high-quality product with a small carbon footprint, pioneering the future of construction in New York City.

Individual modules are constructed and fully finished in a factory setting, while the eventual building site is simultaneously prepped for their arrival. Expending far fewer raw materials than traditional construction methods, the modules are fabricated in a highly controlled environment, allowing for quality assurance and precise engineering.

Once transported and on-site, the modules are literally stacked—the inspiration behind the building's name—and seamlessly integrated into a singular structure, an aesthetically pleasing building that enhances both the streetscape and the pedestrian experience. In the final stage, an expressive façade is fixed to the modular framework, making a strong visual statement to passersby that reflects the building's unique means to existence.

The modular construction method rapidly accelerates the production schedule, completing buildings in virtually half the time of the traditional on-site process, while also opening a new realm of opportunity for urban development. With its distinctive architecture and luxurious yet accessible lifestyle offering, The Stack modular housing serves as a proud example of the possibilities enabled by modular construction, and is a welcome addition to the Inwood community.

Prefab Modular Emergency Housing, NYC, USA

Floor plans
Construction
Location
About Garrison Architects
About Mark Line Industries
About NYC Emergency Management
About American Manufactured Structures and Services (AMSS)

Architecture	Garrison Architects
Deploy time	15 hours
Location	NYC
Year	2015

Description by architects

Developed for the New York City Office of Emergency Management, Garrison Architects was hired by American Manufactured Structures and Services (AMSS) to design amodular post-disaster housing prototype for displaced city residents in the event of a catastrophic natural or manmade disaster. The multi-story, multi-family units can be deployed in less than 15 hours, in various arrangements calibrated for challenging urbanconditions.




This prototype is preceded by more than 6 years of research by the City of New York into emergency housing,” says James Garrison, Principal of Garrison Architects. “Aside from the basics of providing shelter after a disaster, the prototype is innovative because it allows residents to remain within their communities instead of being displaced for months, or even years. “Shelter in place” allows residents to maintain their support networks - their friends and their families. Keeping neighborhoods intact is crucial for successful rebuilding.”

The aim is to create a blueprint for post-disaster housing by utilizing the latest construction technology in conjunction with stringent requirements for safety, sustainability, durability, and universal design. The modules are infinitely flexible: they can be deployed in vacant lots, private yards, or public spaces. When needed, the modules are trucked to a site, craned into place, and plugged into utilities.

“The beauty of the units lies in their inherent flexibility. They can be stacked like legos to create row housing, or they can be interspersed between existing homes and structures,” says Garrison. “These modules aren’t just for New York City - they were designed to meet the strictest zoning requirements in the US, meaning they can be quickly deployed to any corner of the country.”

For the prototype, a total of 5 modules were fabricated in Indiana by Mark Line Industries. They were then trucked to NYC and installed onsite by American Manufactured Structures and Services, general contractor for the project.

With 1- and 3-bedroom configurations, every unit features a living area, bathroom, fully equipped kitchen and storage space. Units are built with completely recyclable materials, cork floors, zero formaldehyde, a double-insulated shell, and floor-to-ceiling balcony entry doors with integrated shading to lower solar-heat gain, provide larger windows, and add more habitable space. Units can be equipped with photovoltaic panels, which will not only alleviate pressure on the city grid, but also ensure the units are self-sustaining.




The prototype will remain on the corner of Cadman Plaza East and Red Cross Place for one to two years, undergoing occupancy tests by NYU Poly and Pratt. Guests will be invited to live in the units for 5-day intervals to fully explore their functionality. Jim Garrison continues: “We spent months honing all of the technical details for the prototype. Now it is time to investigate the intricate details of living in the units full time.” 2015