Quartet

An Urban Mixed-Use Building with Four Unique Residences

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East End District, Rochester, New York

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Winner of 2013 Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester - Architectural Design Showcase - Excellence Award ​

Winner of 2009 AIA Rochester Design Excellence Award

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The intent of this project is to renovate an existing unoccupied, and underappreciated, building in Rochester's emerging east end district (home to the Rochester International Jazz Festival). The approach is to increase the lot density while satisfying the growing need for downtown residential units by the introduction of four rooftop residences above a new restaurant with live music.

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The residences are oriented in a 45 degree sawtooth pattern to direct the views towards East Avenue. This arrangement provides privacy for the exterior terraces, allows the southwestern sun to infiltrate the spaces, and offers a sunset view and 'piece of East Avenue' for each tenant.

The design was inspired by two architecturally significant adjacent buildings: The Little Theater (located directly to the east) and the Hallman's Chevrolet building (located to the west across Winthrop Street). The result is a simplified, modern, three-dimensional interpretation of the art deco cues provided by the details of these buildings.