Prodema at Via Verde

The Via Verde (Green Way) project in the Bronx, designed by Grimshaw and Dattner Architects, aims to set a precedent for ecologically and socially sustainable affordable housing in New York City. The full-block building is distinctive for the terracing that rises from an internal courtyard to a 20-story tower on the north end of the property, opening up the project to the south and the path of the sun. Another distinctive element is the crisp facade, composed of a prefabricated rainscreen in three materials (fiber cement, aluminum composite, wood composite), and generous sunshades over each window.

Much of the punch on the building's primary, west-facing elevation (shown here) comes from the Prodema's ProdEX wood composite panels. Rendered in various yellows, oranges, and browns, these panels stand out against the grays of the fiber cement and aluminum panels. The color panels also help break down the scale of the building and give the elevation a random splash against the backdrop of alternating big and small windows. Each type of panel was fabricated off-site in 25-foot-long sections, helping to save time and insure quality control on this complex project.  jh