LOT-EK
42/5 vertical market

activating a leftover empty lot on 42nd street and 5th avenue in Manhattan

concept

2003

location

midtown, New York

size

10,000 SF

awards

concept & vision

we stack nine levels of containers as a new typology for a mall on a sliver of street front real-estate. Each 20-foot container module serves as an indoor booth in the fashion of an urban market

design & architecture

we stack nine levels of containers with a slight shift, and replicate the sidewalk as catwalks at each level. Views and loggias onto the city are the result of leaving out a selection of containers from the façade.

impact & significance

a simple strategy to address leftover empty lots throughout the city, temporary or long-term temporary activations that exploit both availability and modularity of shipping containers

Dec 1, 2026

LOT-EK lectures at RIT Vignelli Center, Rochester

LOT-EK lectures at RIT Vignelli Center, Rochester

Nov 16, 2026

LOT-EK lectures at Jefferson University CADE, Philadelphia

LOT-EK lectures at Jefferson University CADE, Philadelphia

Oct 10, 2026

The Black SchoolHouse opens!

The Black SchoolHouse opens!

Jul 7, 2026

LOT-EK on Wallpaper* US400 list

LOT-EK on Wallpaper* US400 list

Apr 6, 2026

LOT-EK and Carroll House on PIN-UP 40

LOT-EK and Carroll House on PIN-UP 40