frida escobedo completes ‘bergen’ residences with pleated facade in brownstone brooklyn

contemporary housing on bergen street

A new residential building has reached completion on Brooklyn‘s Bergen Street with a facade designed by Frida Escobedo and amenity interiors by Workstead. The seven story building in Boerum Hill brings Escobedo’s first residential condominium project in New York City into an area defined by rows of low brownstone.

Reflecting this context, the building’s massing follows the cadence of the block, stepping and compressing to keep sightlines open along the tree-lined street. While the architecture reads as clearly contemporary, its proportions and surface depth align closely with the surrounding fabric of the historic neighborhood — see designboom’s previous coverage here.

images © Zack DeZon

frida escobedo draws from brooklyn’s townhouses

The team at Taller Frida Escobedo shapes Bergen’s facade to draw from the geometry of bay window townhouses familiar to Brooklyn residents. Their projecting forms are translated into a pleated masonry surface. Custom brick units fold and stack into a lattice that filters light and air across the building envelope. Throughout the day, shadows shift across the surface, giving the elevation a slow visual tempo that responds to changing weather and sun angles.

Orientation plays a central role in the architectural strategy. East and west exposures allow daylight to move fully through the building, while a transparent glass volume at the center marks the entry sequence. This glazed core connects the two residential wings and establishes a visual corridor between Dean Street and Bergen Street and reinforces permeability at ground level.

Frida Escobedo designs the facade as a pleated masonry surface that filters light and air

interiors finished with warm, natural materials

As Bergen rises, its volume steps back, reducing its presence against the Brooklyn streetscape with the Manhattan skyline beyond. Terraces appear gradually, softening the transition between building and sky. At the top, a perforated crown frames rooftop spaces and breaks down the silhouette into smaller elements, allowing the building to settle comfortably among neighboring rooflines.

Inside, Workstead extends the architectural language through interiors that emphasize calm, light, and long term use. Materials lean toward natural finishes and tactile surfaces, creating spaces that feel steady and composed. The palette shifts gradually as one moves upward through the building, beginning with lighter tones at the lower floors and deepening into richer colors higher above the street.

This vertical progression adds subtle orientation for residents while maintaining continuity across shared spaces. Wood, stone, and textile surfaces absorb sound and light, and details are designed to weather gracefully.

a central glass volume links the east and west wings and defines the entry experience

amenity spaces by workstead

Amenities span 14,500 square feet across four levels, connected by a sculptural totem stair that encourages movement through the building. Wellness spaces include Pilates, yoga, boxing, and cardio studios, along with private fitness pods and a tea room operated by Kettl, dedicated to Japanese tea service. These rooms focus on proportion and light, supporting slower, quieter use.

Creative spaces expand the program beyond fitness. A ceramics studio developed with BKLYN Clay, a children’s playroom, and an arts studio in partnership with Arts Gowanus bring making and learning into the daily life of the building. Screening, music, and recording rooms add further layers to the interior landscape without competing for attention.

the building massing steps back to align with the scale of surrounding brownstones

upper levels and outdoor spaces

Upper level gathering spaces include a game room with wet bar, a club room, and a great room that opens to a terrace with a chef’s kitchen and dining areas. 

Outdoor amenities exceed 12,000 square feet and were developed with landscape designer Patrick Cullina alongside DXA. Dean Park and two rooftop parks introduce lawns, planting beds, grills, firepits, and sheltered seating that extend use across seasons. Planting softens the architecture and brings a garden scale into dialogue with the building’s masonry structure.

Workstead shaped the amenity interiors with durable materials and a calm tonal range