Dattner Architects designs Brooklyn sanitation garage with fritted glass and aluminum fins

Dattner Architects has completed Brooklyn Community District 3 sanitation garage, a nearly full-block facility at the boundary between Bedford-Stuyvesant's residential and industrial zones. The design uses fritted and transparent glazing to provide daylight and views for sanitation workers while shielding the neighboring Marcy Houses public housing complex from 24-hour interior lights. Aluminum fins provide passive shading, and precast concrete panels dampen sound on the industrial side. The green roof filters stormwater for truck washing and supports photovoltaic panels. Interior spaces include break rooms with ping pong, a Street Fighter arcade game, and a saxophone salvaged from sidewalk discards. The garage is expected to last fifty-plus years, with materials chosen for durability over traditional masonry.