Micro Studios

What Comes After the Brownstone?

A few weeks ago The New York Times ran a great piece titled “The Brownstone Revisionists,” about a growing trend that favors modernization over renovation. In the article, Constance Rosenblum writes that “it’s increasingly common to find vintage town houses sheathed in glass, aluminum and other relentlessly contemporary materials.” A far cry from the classic abodes featured in Rizzoli’s reissue of the comprehensive tome Bricks and Brownstone: The New York Row House, the hallowed homes of today are testament to the changing priorities of a city in flux.

To explore what Brownstone 3.0 could (or should) look like, we asked local architects and designers to share their thoughts on an iconic building typology of the future. From re-oriented garden blocks that give each walk-up its own mini front yard to hypothetically re-imagining the city street as one giant stoop, click through to check out ideas from eight innovative local imaginations. … Read More