The Block

The Block
© Sam Oberter

The Block

ISA

ARCHITECTS
ISA

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
Jonathan Alderson Landscape Architects, Inc

MANUFACTURERS
Sherwin-williams, Anderson 100, Bartco Lighting, Dmf Lighting, Ecosense, Garden State Tile, Hamburger Roofing , Multi Housing Depot, Sioux City Brick, Tech Lighting

LIGHTING DESIGN
Lam Partners

GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Callahan Ward

DEVELOPER
Alliance HP

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Cooke Brown Structural Engineers

CIVIL ENGINEERING
Bohler Engineering

MEP
Holstein White Inc

PHOTOGRAPHS
Sam Oberter

AREA
58200 ft²

YEAR
2022

LOCATION
Philadelphia, United States

CATEGORY
Apartments

Text description provided by architect.

Big box buildings sited on abandoned industrial lots can bring new retail amenities to historically underserved neighborhoods, but their associated surface parking lots can negatively impact urban street life.

The Block
© Sam Oberter
The Block
© Sam Oberter

The Block, a 49-unit mixed-use multifamily building situated on an existing surface parking lot in Philadelphia’s Callowhill zone, bridges that gap, adding density and supporting pedestrian walkability while taking advantage of existing car-centric development in a novel typology.

The Block was developed by the owners of the single-story warehouse immediately to the north, which was previously converted to house a local brewery and big box retail.

The Block
© Sam Oberter
The Block
© Sam Oberter

The building lines the retail parking lot’s 5th Street frontage with live/work units and anchors its parking lot side with ground-floor retail. A pedestrian passageway cuts through the building at grade, and a social terrace occupies the roof above.

The building incorporates an unusual approach to circulation, taking cues from Philadelphia’s rowhouse fabric.

The Block
© Sam Oberter
The Block
© Sam Oberter

Minimizing interior corridors, the building relies instead on an elevated, landscaped deck as the primary access for upper-level walk-up units.

The massing features apertures in both plan and section, opening unexpected views, enhancing pedestrian access, and fostering a sense of porosity across the building’s layered streetscape.

The Block
© Sam Oberter


The Block