As marginalized urban areas transition into desirable neighborhoods, seemingly problematic contextual elements like adjacent vacant land and elevated railroads can be treated as productive design constraints. Historically a divider, the elevated train line running along Front Street in Philadelphia?s Kensington neighborhood is becoming an attractor for new retail and nightlife.

© Sam Oberter

Architects: ISA

Location: Philadelphia, PA, United States

Architect In Charge: Brian Phillips, AIA, LEED AP

Area: 6500.0 ft2

Project Year: 2016

Photographs: Sam Oberter

Client: Crawford Group

© Sam Oberter

As marginalized urban areas transition into desirable neighborhoods, seemingly problematic contextual elements like adjacent vacant land and elevated railroads can be treated as productive design constraints. Historically a divider, the elevated train line running along Front Street in Philadelphia?s Kensington neighborhood is becoming an attractor for new retail and nightlife.
© Sam Oberter

This 6-unit apartment building shifts program to the long edge of a narrow site along the busy Frankford-Market elevated Blue Line in East Kensington, creating an interior façade facing an adjacent vacant parcel. A ground floor commercial space faces Front Street, activating the urban edg...