Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has revealed a bold new proposal for 175 Third Street in Brooklyn, reimagining a 2023 concept into a sprawling, mixed-use development anchored by terraced architecture and expansive public space. Located along the Gowanus Canal within a former industrial zone, the project is a collaboration with dencityworks | architecture and developers Charney Companies and Tavros, and marks BIG’s entry into the evolving Gowanus waterfront.
Spanning over one million square feet, the design features a stepped 27-story tower made up of stacked concrete volumes arranged around a central courtyard. At its core is a public park designed by Field Operations in partnership with NYC Parks, envisioned as a green spine that flows down toward the canal. The park connects 2nd and 3rd Streets, creating an open civic space within one of the city’s most rapidly transforming neighborhoods.
Bjarke Ingels describes the project as “a three-dimensional neighborhood of building blocks stacked to frame a central park cascading down towards the canal waterfront.” The building’s volumes are intentionally carved and chamfered to form terraces, entry points, and outdoor spaces, creating an architectural language that supports both community engagement and private refuge. “The resultant architecture provides a plethora of niches for all forms of life – urban and intimate, public and private – within and around,” Ingels said.
The development will include over 1,000 residential units, with approximately 250 designated as affordable housing. According to BIG partner Martin Voelkle, the design responds directly to zoning constraints and the site’s programmatic needs through a series of “purposeful shifts and chamfered corners,” allowing the structure to integrate into its context while maximizing livability and access to light and air.
The 175 Third Street site is part of the larger Gowanus Wharf revitalization and represents the fourth project in the neighborhood by developers Charney and Tavros. The firms previously acquired the site from RFR for $160 million in April. Together, their Gowanus developments encompass over 2 million square feet of new construction, signaling a dramatic reshaping of the historically industrial district into a dynamic, mixed-use waterfront corridor.
