Liberty Flats

• Philadelphia, PA

• 35 residential units with ground floor commercial

• 39,400sf

• completed Spring 2021

• project website: Liberty Flats

photographer: Jeffrey Totaro

Philadelphia was founded on a bed of rich red clay. From Colonial Times brick was used for both the most significant structures in the City such as Independence Hall to the most humble rowhomes across many neighborhoods.  More contemporary Philadelphia architects such as Louis Kahn and Robert Venturi kept building with brick into the 20th century.  We used a traditional red brick here for a more “modern” design while still using traditional details.  Here a “big grid” of red brick was used with traditional brick corbeling used at the head of each opening that transitions to a stepped profile at the vertical piers of the grid.  Vertical and horizontal reveals emphasis the “big grid” design of the façade. The subtle steps create varying shadows throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky.