All articles by Shiloh Frederick

Shiloh is an aspiring journalist looking to gain experience writing about a wide range of topics. A Brooklyn native, she is fascinated by all things New York, especially pertaining to the city's history. Shiloh currently studies history and journalism at Mount Holyoke College and she is summer intern at CityRealty.
June 24, 2015

First Look: Andrés Jaque’s Wild, Water-Purifying ‘COSMO’ Now Open at MoMA PS1!

"COSMO" has officially brought the party to MoMA PS1. The winning project of MoMA PS1's 16th Young Architects Program (YAP) is now open for public viewing in the museum affiliate's courtyard. "COSMO: Give me a pipe and I will move/celebrate the Earth," which was designed by Andrés Jaque/Office for Political Innovation, is a moveable artifact made from customized irrigation components that puts out an effort to make visible–and enjoyable–the hidden urbanism of the water pipes we live by. We stopped by the courtyard earlier today as "COSMO" got its finishing touches, and we must say, this installation looks as incredible as its renderings.
Your first look here
June 17, 2015

Let’s Introduce Text Walking Lanes for Smartphone Addicts

You've seen them. You've tried to get around them. You're probably one of them. In a world where there are more mobile phones than people, it's become commonplace to find folks paying more attention to what's on their phones than what's in front of them on the street. These so-called "text-walkers" are often a nuisance to other pedestrians as well as a danger to themselves (and their precious phones). A smart solution to this problem has appeared on the sidewalks of Antwerp, Belgium in the form of  "text walking lanes." These lanes, marked by simple white lines painted onto the sidewalk, designate a separate walking space for people who use their phones while walking.
More on text-walking lanes
June 11, 2015

VIDEO: From Painted Caves to 3D-Printed Houses, Watch How Housing Has Changed Throughout History

With 3D printing taking hold as the hottest new building trend, it's worth taking a look back at how far humans have come in the realm of home construction. Over 16,000 years ago, mammoth-bone houses were the biggest thing in architecture, and that was only a step up from painted caves. These and other home construction milestones are highlighted in a short animated video by the Atlantic called "Home Is Where the Hearth Is: A Brief History." The astutely named video demonstrates how housing has changed from prehistoric times to the present.
Watch the video here
June 10, 2015

J.P. Morgan’s 120-Year-Old ‘Great Camp Uncas’ in the Adirondacks Can Be Yours for $3.25M

You can now own a piece of the Adirondacks that has provided serenity for so many others for over a century. The secluded Camp Uncas was built in 1895 by Brooklynite William West Durant, who is credited with perfecting the Adirondack "Great Camp" style. While the compound is unquestionably a spectacular work, its claim to fame is that it was once owned by financier J.P. Morgan. Morgan purchased the 1,500 acre property from Durant in 1897, and for the fifty years that followed, his family used it as a vacation home. Though the property has traded hands several times since the Morgans graced its grounds, its roster of owners is no less interesting—nor is its rustic architecture.
Explore the forest hideaway
June 5, 2015

Inventor D.H. Burrell’s Little Falls Mansion Will Transport You Back to the Victorian Age

Comfortably nestled within the Mohawk Valley in upstate New York, the Burrell Overlook Mansion is seemingly untouched by time. This former farmstead built between 1886-1889 was the home of inventor and engineer D.H. Burrell. Burrell, a quirky genius in his own right, paired the Victorian mansion with a self-sustaining hydroelectric power generator that amazingly remains functional to this day. But while the mansion once served as a playground for madcap ideas, today it operates as a peaceful bed and breakfast and historical hideaway for those passing through the valley. And now, for a mere $725,000, you can make this beauty your very own personal retreat.
Read more about this historic home
June 5, 2015

Ten Arquitectos Develop All-Purpose ‘Casitas’ for Community Gardens Around the City

Over the past year, "casitas" have been sprouting up in community gardens from Puerto Rico to the South Bronx. These "little houses" are the result of a collaboration between the New York Restoration Project (NYRP) and the Urban Air Foundation (UAF) to develop an adaptable structure for community gardens. Taking on former mayor Mike Bloomberg's post-Sandy challenge to create resilient infrastructure throughout the city, the two organizations partnered with Ten Arquitectos to create the shed-like structures. The modular timber casitas are multi-functional and can be converted to food preparation stations, performance stages, storage spaces, or just a spot for shade.
More design details here
June 2, 2015

Elizabeth Roberts Brings Light Back into This 163-Year-Old Fort Greene Townhouse

When Allison Freedman Weisberg and Peter Barker-Huelster bought this Fort Greene townhouse, it was the opposite of the home they envisioned. The couple wanted a house that was bright and uncluttered. Instead, the 163 year-old house was dark and decaying with its roof and back wall about to cave in. The family enlisted Elizabeth Roberts Design/Ensemble Architecture to put air and light back into the house, resulting in this indoor/outdoor blend thanks to a two-story addition, which features a wall of windows on the second floor and an operable glass door on the ground floor.
Look around the house here