Architecture And Design

INTERVIEW: noroof Architects on Tackling Tiny Apartment Design in NYC
June 2, 2015

INTERVIEW: noroof Architects on Tackling Tiny Apartment Design in NYC

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The tiny house movement seems to be taking over the nation, but living in modest quarters has pretty much always been the norm for the average New Yorker. One architecture studio that's focused their energies on the challenges of designing the super small—versus the super tall—is Fort Greene-based noroof Architects. Led by the duo of Margarita McGrath and Scott Oliver, the studio has been developing ingenious ideas that address the space challenges that come with living in a dense city—and they often involve transforming furniture. Jump ahead to learn more about how the pair approach downsized living and designing for families, where they find inspiration, and then get some ideas on how you can make your cramped apartment feel far more capacious.
Meet Margarita and Scott
Interior Renderings Revealed for Central Park South’s Brand New 1,210-Foot Supertall
June 2, 2015

Interior Renderings Revealed for Central Park South’s Brand New 1,210-Foot Supertall

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Last week, the first exterior images of Central Park South's new supertall 1 Park Lane surfaced. Now NY YIMBY has obtained additional renderings of the 1,210-foot condo tower being designed by Handel Architects, showing off what the interiors could look like, and, most notably, the kinds of views afforded by the multi-million-dollar perches above.
See more here
Elizabeth Roberts Brings Light Back into This 163-Year-Old Fort Greene Townhouse
June 2, 2015

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

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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
Jewelry Designer Asks $1.3M for Rego Park Condo Decked out in Gold and Crystal
June 2, 2015

Jewelry Designer Asks $1.3M for Rego Park Condo Decked out in Gold and Crystal

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Experts recently said that NYC apartments are a better investment than gold. But how does the formula work out when the apartment is dripping in gold? A Queens-based jewelry designer spent $150,000 to outfit her Rego Park condo with glittering and gilded touches like door handles made of Swarovski crystals, walls and ceilings painted with crystal dust, 24k white gold leaf mosaics on the kitchen backsplash and columns and gold-plated bathroom fixtures. And she appropriately named her home the Jewelry Box. DNAinfo reports that the apartment, located at the Millennium 99 luxury condo at 63-36 99th Street, has hit the market for $1,288,886, which might be the highest asking price to date in the neighborhood.
Check out the opulent pad here
REVEALED: Rafael Viñoly’s Slender 52-Story Condo Tower Design for Nomad

Image via New York YIMBY

June 1, 2015

REVEALED: Rafael Viñoly’s Slender 52-Story Condo Tower Design for Nomad

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Is there any architect more in demand than Rafael Viñoly these days? NY YIMBY has uncovered the first renderings of the starchitect's latest residential project, a tower slated to pierce the sky from a Nomad site at 281 Fifth Avenue. Though notably smaller than 432 Park Avenue at just 705 feet, the skyscraper does share the 432's stark and very geometrical shape. It will also be one of the tallest in the neighborhood once constructed.
Find out more here
1100 Architect’s Long Island House Features Grassy Sand Dunes on Its Roof
June 1, 2015

1100 Architect’s Long Island House Features Grassy Sand Dunes on Its Roof

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1100 Architect is an architectural firm based in New York City responsible for building luxurious yet curious homes all over the globe. Their stunning Long Island House is located on the eastern shore of the outpost and is one of the finest examples of their work. In addition to big and bright interiors that let the outdoors in, its spectacular exteriors host a deck for sunbathing, an infinity pool for cooling off seaside, and a sloped green roof that mimics the surrounding dunes.
Learn more about this seaside retreat in disguise
A Trashcan Inspired the Design of Rafael Viñoly’s 432 Park Avenue
May 31, 2015

A Trashcan Inspired the Design of Rafael Viñoly’s 432 Park Avenue

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Most ideas usually end up in the trash but few ideas are inspired by the basket that holds them. A recent discovery by The Real Deal has revealed that the city's residential tower-of the-moment, 432 Park Avenue, was actually inspired by a Josef Hoffmann-designed wastebasket released in 1905. The revelation came via a talk held last December at the Cornell Center for Real Estate and Finance where Harry Macklowe, the co-developer of the supertall, told the crowd that the repository was an "important touchstone" for the 1,396-foot-high design.
More on the muse here
The One World Trade Center Observatory Officially Opens Today!

The view from above. Image via World Trade Center Progress

May 29, 2015

The One World Trade Center Observatory Officially Opens Today!

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We couldn't have dreamt up a more picturesque day for the opening of One World Trade Center's sky-high observatory. Today visitors will get a new bird's eye view of New York City with panoramic views stretching 50 miles past the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty from a three-story perch 1,250 feet up in the air.
More details on the experience that awaits you here
Wife Builds Her Own ‘She Shed’ in the Catskills Mountains

Image by Todd Foster via TODAY

May 29, 2015

Wife Builds Her Own ‘She Shed’ in the Catskills Mountains

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Men have their man caves, but when it comes to where a woman can find a place for respite, most are quick to point to the kitchen. Well that's all changing TODAY reports, as there seems to be an emergence of a new trend: she sheds. These tiny homes are offering wives, mothers and girlfriends an on-site escape away from the stresses of daily life. And at the forefront of this movement? Meet Sandra Foster, a lovely lady who built herself an equally lovely she shed in the heart of the Catskills mountains.
FInd out more here
Freestanding Victorian with All the Historic Details Asks $2 Million in Ditmas Park
May 29, 2015

Freestanding Victorian with All the Historic Details Asks $2 Million in Ditmas Park

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It's hard not to fall in love with this freestanding Victorian at 770 Rugby Road in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. The house has had the same owner for more than 50 years, and only a few owners since it was built in 1905. The interior is chock full of well-kept period details, not to mention a grassy lawn and a front porch. Are you falling as hard as we are? It's on the market now for $2.195 million.
See more interior photos
Quirky Cabin-Like Home with Tons of Outdoor Space Is Up for Rent in Williamsburg
May 28, 2015

Quirky Cabin-Like Home with Tons of Outdoor Space Is Up for Rent in Williamsburg

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This 2,000-square-foot three-bedroom Williamsburg duplex is a lot of things: It's cool, kooky, rustic and a little beachy, too. Some nice interior details have been paired with a fun, smart design. The listing calls this a "city meets country oasis," and with all the exposed wood, we'd have to agree. It all makes for a special pad with a killer outdoor patio and garden. If you fall in love with it, it's now on the market for $7,995 a month.
Go inside here
How the Whitney Installed an Invisible Flood Barrier After Hurricane Sandy
May 28, 2015

How the Whitney Installed an Invisible Flood Barrier After Hurricane Sandy

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For the past few months, all eyes have been on the new Whitney. From architecture reviews of Renzo Piano's modern museum to insider looks at the galleries, New Yorkers can't stop talking about the design of this game-changing structure. It wasn't all sunshine and roses for the building, though. In 2012, halfway through construction, Hurricane Sandy flooded the museum with more than five million gallons of water, causing the architects to rethink the site. The Whitney now boasts a custom flood-mitigation system that was "designed like a submarine," according to engineer Kevin Schorn, one of Piano's assistants. As The Atlantic reports, the system has a 15,500-pound water-tight door that was designed by engineers who work on the U.S. Navy's Destroyers and can protect against a flood level of 16.5 feet (seven feet higher than the waters during Sandy) and withstand an impact from 6,750 pounds of debris. But what's just as amazing as these figures is the fact that this huge system is invisible to the average person.
Find out more here
EVENT: Hear Five Brilliant Ideas Vying to Improve Urban Life at ‘Pitching the City’
May 28, 2015

EVENT: Hear Five Brilliant Ideas Vying to Improve Urban Life at ‘Pitching the City’

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New urban development and redevelopment proposals get thrown around on a daily basis, but very few ever come to fruition. With an overload of ideas floating around, it's hard to keep track of what's worth giving a second thought to—let alone cash. Enter Pitching the City, a biennial gathering that pits the creators of five genius plans to improve the contemporary city against one another. This year's summit will bring an array of innovative urban strategies from across the globe under one roof for a high-octane pitching session happening in Nolita on Friday, May 29th (that's tomorrow!), and you're invited.
Find out how to attend here
190 Bowery Art Show Was Closed to the Public to ‘Protect the Space and the Art’
May 28, 2015

190 Bowery Art Show Was Closed to the Public to ‘Protect the Space and the Art’

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The art opening at 190 Bowery took social media by storm a couple weekends ago when hundreds of people (who were likely more eager to get a look inside the iconic building than to peruse the art) lined up outside and were then promptly turned away when the event was changed from public to private. As The Lo-Down notes, curator and art dealer Vito Schnabel, who hosted the event with the building's developer Aby Rosen, has now spoken out in the New York Times about the last-minute change of plans, saying that his main concern was "protecting the space and the art."
Find out more here
REVEALED: 1 Park Lane Will Be the Next Supertall Central Park South Tower

Rendering via Witkoff

May 27, 2015

REVEALED: 1 Park Lane Will Be the Next Supertall Central Park South Tower

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Just a week after Manhattan's Community Board 5 called for a moratorium on shadow-casting Central Park skyscrapers taller than 600 feet, renderings have been revealed for the next supertall tower coming to the periphery of the park. New York Yimby first spotted the images for 1 Park Lane, the 1,210-foot-tall glassy condo that will replace the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel at 36 Central Park South and become the fourth-tallest residential building in the city.
More details ahead
For Under $1M You Can Buy a Dome Home in New Paltz That Rotates 360 Degrees
May 27, 2015

For Under $1M You Can Buy a Dome Home in New Paltz That Rotates 360 Degrees

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Long Island may be home to the the world’s largest geodesic dome house, but just two hours north of NYC in New Paltz is an eco-friendly wooden dome home that can rotate 360 degrees with the push of a button. And, as Curbed reports, it's now up for grabs for $950,000. Built in 1999, the 2,300-square-foot, three-bedroom, UFO-looking residence sits in the middle of a 28-acre forest at the base of the Mohonk Preserve. It spins in order to utilize passive solar energy and to take advantage of the picturesque views.
See what else this geodesic dome home has in store
One Vanderbilt Tower Receives Unanimous Approval from City Council
May 27, 2015

One Vanderbilt Tower Receives Unanimous Approval from City Council

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This afternoon, SL Green's One Vanderbilt tower received the ultimate green light from the New York City Council, as members voted unanimously in favor of both the construction of the new 1,501-foot tall office building and the rezoning of a five-block stretch of Vanderbilt Avenue (the Vanderbilt Corridor) that would bring with it significant infrastructural upgrades to the area's public transportation. The vote was the last hurdle for the development and is a critical step in the rezoning of a greater area of Midtown East.
Find out more here
Futuristic Pod Powered by the Wind and Sun–a Viable Housing Solution?
May 27, 2015

Futuristic Pod Powered by the Wind and Sun–a Viable Housing Solution?

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We've featured plenty of live/work and portable prefab spaces on 6sqft in the past, but this tiny house designed by Nice Architects might be one of the most efficient and adaptable housing solutions we've seen. Called the Ecocapsule, the sleek micro-house is a totally off-grid construction that's powered by solar and wind energy. Amazingly, at just 14.6 feet long and 7.4 feet wide, it has the potential to comfortably fit two adults. And on top of that, there's a kitchenette, a toilet, and a shower with hot water.
Find out more here
Own a Mansion with Celebrity History on a Private Island Overlooking NYC for $11M
May 26, 2015

Own a Mansion with Celebrity History on a Private Island Overlooking NYC for $11M

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Considering the fact that New York City townhouses go for tens of millions of dollars and luxury condos are climbing into the hundred million range, $11 million for an entire private island and mansion seems like quite the bargain. Tavern Island is a 3.5-acre piece of land located in the Long Island Sound near Rowayton, Connecticut, overlooking NYC. According to the Daily Mail, in the 1950s and '60s, theater impresario and lyricist Billy Rose owned the island and hosted lavish parties for the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Barbara Streisand. In addition to these epic bragging rights, the new owner of the island will gain a six-bedroom English Colonial mansion dating to 1900, private beach, swimming pool, and a docking area and boat for access the mainland.
Tour this unique island
Report Poorly Parked Cars and Bad Drivers with the ‘TowIt’ App
May 26, 2015

Report Poorly Parked Cars and Bad Drivers with the ‘TowIt’ App

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Few things are as enraging and unnerving as the way New Yorkers drive. And although no one wants to be a tattletale, there's finally a way to help better patrol bad drivers right from our smartphones. Called TowIt, this handy app allows concerned citizens to snap photos of motor violations, geo-tag them, and then send them in real-time for ticketing or towing by law enforcement and city officials.
Find out more and where to download the app
Starchitect Rafael Vinoly to Design a 10-Story Meatpacking District Building
May 26, 2015

Starchitect Rafael Vinoly to Design a 10-Story Meatpacking District Building

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Look out—not up—because there’s a new low-rise Rafael Vinoly-designed building coming our way. The architect mastermind behind the city’s tallest residential tower, 432 Park Avenue, has just been chosen to design a comparatively demure ten-story office-and-retail building in the Meatpacking District, reports The Real Deal. The new addition is being developed by Vornado Realty Trust and Aurora […]

$700K Dutchess County Farmhouse Welcomed Four Presidents and Marie Curie
May 25, 2015

$700K Dutchess County Farmhouse Welcomed Four Presidents and Marie Curie

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At first glance, you'll be drawn to this farmhouse's classic colonial facade and beautiful surrounding landscape. Once inside, you'll love the original architecture and old-time decor. But there's much more than meets the eye at this Dutchess County beauty. Located atop the historic Quaker Hill and built circa 1700, this home reportedly welcomed four Presidents–Washington, Coolidge, Hoover, and Roosevelt–and Marie Curie was a frequent house guest whose gifted backyard tree still stands today. And this amazing piece of history in Pawling, New York can be yours for $699,000.
Take a tour around the sprawling premises here
Space Saving Mobile Home Office Takes Inspiration from Mid-Century Aircraft
May 22, 2015

Space Saving Mobile Home Office Takes Inspiration from Mid-Century Aircraft

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If you like the idea of a workspace that can be placed out of sight when it's time to shut down for the day, take a look at this design inspired by the planes of the 1950s. The Blackhawk Secretary is an aviation-themed working station wrapped in a patchwork of aluminum panels and accented with exposed steel screws. On sale at the upscale Restoration Hardware, this office-furniture piece not only shuts down so you forget about work, but you can even move it totally out of sight and into another room.
Learn more about this aviator-inspired working station
ICRAVE Mixes Cedar and Steel to Create This Modern Hamptons Pool House
May 22, 2015

ICRAVE Mixes Cedar and Steel to Create This Modern Hamptons Pool House

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If you're spending the holiday weekend out on the Hamptons, chances are you're in for crowded beaches, bustling restaurants, and high-energy parties. But for those of us looking for something a little more low key, this contemporary pool house and spa by ICRAVE couldn't be any more perfect (well, except for the fact that we're not invited over). The designers were tasked with creating a fresh outdoor space in Amagansett where their clients could entertain, and seeing as ICRAVE is responsible for such hospitality projects as the Borgota casino's Bask by Exhale Spa and eight STK restaurants, we're not surprised that the result is so flawless. A mix of natural cedar and industrial steel, the pool house is a modern oasis, highlighted by the central pool.
Get up close here
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