2305 - Crossroads

Elmhurst, New York

2023

Residential/Institutional

2,250 SF

Welcome to Crossroads, strategically situated at the intersection of Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, Queens. This locale serves as both a geographical meeting point and a metaphorical juncture, symbolizing a significant life transition for residents. At Crossroads, the commitment extends beyond conventional senior housing paradigms, focusing on fostering a dynamic and socially interconnected community that enriches lives within and reaches out to the broader neighborhood.

The living quarters at Crossroads redefine the traditional notion of corridors, transforming them into vibrant interior streets that connect residents to both their homes and the larger community. Lined with benches and designed with wide clearances, these corridors are open and inviting, fostering social interaction and providing spaces for spontaneous gatherings. Direct connections to the exterior further blur the boundary between inside and out, allowing residents to effortly engage with the surrounding environment.


Upon entry beneath the cantilevered volume, residents are welcomed into the luminous atrium, where light filters through the triple-height space, casting playful patterns on walls of white brick and the gardened landscape. Moving through a threshold of darkness, a gentle ascent leads to the dining area, with the kitchen nestled within one of the brick volumes. From here, the lattice structure begins to reveal itself, offering glimpses of the surrounding yard and neighborhood.

Ascending further, residents arrive at the main living space, where the double-height lattice shell frames views of the bay to the west. Here, the house extends over the front yard, among the trees and above the streetscape, allowing inhabitants to live and engage with their surroundings. A final flight leads to the sleeping area, with the space transitioning to a single height. Privacy is afforded as the space is obscured by plantings and the patchwork of panels. As residents reach the summit, they are treated to a final panorama of the atrium below and the expansive bay beyond, offering opportunities for contemplation and meditation.

While spacious and open, the house’s design prioritizes efficiency. Mechanical and utility systems are discreetly housed within the brick volumes surrounding the atrium. These volumes, along with two additional walls, punctuate an otherwise open and continuous space defined by the pitched roof of the timber shell. The shell not only conforms to zoning regulations and complements neighboring roofscapes but its structural design also enables a seamless, unobstructed span across the interior.