RKD Architects, an Irish architectural firm based in Dublin, has won an international urban design ideas competition.
The Metals in Construction magazine 2021 Design Challenge, the Sunnyside Yard Competition, sought to generate design ideas for creating an environment suitable for affordable housing and other mixed-use urban development over a portion of Sunnyside Yards in Queens, New York City.
The Irish architecture firm said it sought to create a cityscape that feels as much as possible like an extension of the surrounding area.
RKD’s design not only provided 3,800 affordable homes and a sustainable neighbourhood, but suggested mixed-used spaces to accommodate schools, offices, parks and retail spaces to support the diversity of the neighbourhood and needs of the community.
Harry Browne, RKD Director, said the competition has been both exciting and profound for the RKD team.
"The competition challenges around affordable housing and sustainability are so critical and must inform how we design healthy, resilient and productive places for people to thrive.
"We wanted to provide a solution that integrated the new neighbourhood into the existing fabric of Queens in a positive way with pedestrian access and permeability.
"The streets and blocks provide a variety of urban opportunities unified by greenways, landscaping and an elevated walkway," he said.
While there is no immediate intention to build, Mr Browne said their success is embedded in the recognition of these ideas and how they can be transferrable to other projects in the future internationally and at home.
Gary Higbee, AIA, Director of Industry Development for the Steel Institute of New York, co-publisher of the magazine and sponsor of this year's competition said each year the magazine hosts a competition that challenges designers globally with envisioning solutions to real-world situations.
"This year’s brief drew an array of innovative approaches for capturing the space above Sunnyside Yard to create much-needed affordable housing," he said.
The winning team from RKD includes Harry Browne, Paul Davey, Karolina Backman, Rebecca O’Connor, Sinead Keating and David Browne.
