Future Green Studio

Castle Braid_Main Image

Castle Braid Factory

Brooklyn, NY

Design

A veritable oasis of green amid the post-industrial urban fabric of Bushwick, Brooklyn, the design for Castle Braid’s residential courtyard echoes the angular, refracted lines of the site’s architecture and reflects the client’s vision to blend Bushwick’s past and future. The site’s former industrial use seriously impacted the soil, requiring skillful drainage and soil-profile reengineering on the part of Future Green in order to construct a lush courtyard garden of Honey Locust trees and conical landforms. Weaving, colored concrete paths carve out distinct pads for programming – a sustainable Black Locust wood deck provides café seating, an open lawn offers a chance to watch an outdoor movie, and a quiet garden allows for a day spent reclining in a hammock. A backdrop of graffiti murals by local artists sets off a dynamic landscape of play and lounge elements, including swings, a bocce court, and custom concrete benches located throughout the garden.