One of the driving forces behind our studio’s many projects is the building we live and work in at 475 Kent Avenue in Brooklyn. In contrast to the austere concrete facade that speaks to its past as a factory, the building is home to a thriving community of creatives and entrepreneurs. With over one hundred apartments, one passenger elevator and a lively community rooftop, the building feels like a village where everybody knows everybody. Many projects were born from or inspired by the human connection happening everyday here. The spirit that has been fueling the building’s vibrant creative and social life since the first artists moved in here in 1998 came under threats as forces of gentrification crept up to the South of Williamsburg and caused an exodus of artists/residents. Freunde von Freunden tells the story of the remaining tenants and their fight to not only stay but also to maintain the energy that makes this building so unique. Read the full story on Freunde von Freunden. Photos by Collin Hughes. Words by Anna Savina.
