Redefining Residential Strength and Style
In Brooklyn’s historic DUMBO neighborhood — Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass — Wells supported the delivery of five thoughtfully scaled townhouses at 55 Pearl Street, demonstrating how contemporary prefabricated building systems can respect context while elevating performance. Once defined by manufacturing and infrastructure, DUMBO has evolved into a vibrant mixed-use district of galleries, shops and lofts. Rather than introducing a typical high-rise residential structure, the project team intentionally selected a townhouse typology to reinforce the neighborhood’s established rhythm and street-level character.
Located at the corner of Pearl and Water Streets and positioned across from a newly designated public park, the five-story, single-family residences provide approximately 3,000 sq ft of living space each. The homes feature private parking, rooftop terraces and 20-ft ceilings that bring daylight deep into the interiors. At street level, warm materials including Ipe wood and bronze-coated aluminum soften the pedestrian experience, creating a clear transition between the public realm and private living spaces while contrasting with the building’s concrete expression above.
