Bullet-proof Upper East Side townhouse designed by Rafael Viñoly lists for $50M
Photos by Aaron Thompson of Esto
Uruguayan-born architect Rafael Viñoly is best known for designing 432 Park, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, but apparently, he makes time for private homes, too–at least when they come with headline-making features like a bullet-proof glass facade. His firm was first tapped to design the townhouse at 162 East 64th Street back in 2015 by Argentinian business mogul and billionaire Eduardo Eurnekian. Originally, the seven-story (don’t worry, there’s an elevator) residence was to serve as both his home and U.S. headquarters, but it looks like he instead decided to list the finished product for $50 million (h/t CityRealty).
“This is a building with a unique and striking personality,” says Viñoly. Compass listing agent Maria Avellaneda said, “It is a building for someone with the knowledge and sensibility to appreciate architecture as a work of art, and technology as a force of change.” To that end, the home was designed with the art collector in mind, offering museum-quality lighting and expansive open walls.
As far as the facade goes, we can’t be sure exactly why Eurnekian wanted a bullet-proof structure, though he is the second-richest person in Argentina. The glass “traveled from Germany to Spain where it acquired its characteristic curved shape and was later laminated multiple times.” Architecturally speaking, “the curve implies a revolution on perspective allowing for a wider visual angle from the inside.”
The contemporary design left the home quite stark, but it does get plenty of natural light from a massive central skylight. In the middle floor, a 34-foot, floor-to-ceiling leads out to the terrace, and there’s even more outdoor space courtesy of a landscaped roof deck.
In total, there are six bedrooms, all with their own en-suite marble bathroom. There’s also a kitchen with two double refrigerators and a double dishwasher, as well as a wine cellar.
[Listing: 162 East 64th Street by Maria Belen Avellaneda of Compass]
[At CityRealty]
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Listing photos courtesy of Compass unless otherwise noted
