Architecture And Design

If we had to pick out the ugliest items in our house, the step stool would probably top the list. Typically an unattractive hunk of plastic or miniature-ladder-looking apparatus, these pieces are extremely functional (especially in New York where we have to build up), but not usually designed with style in mind. That's why we love the 1/2 Stool by Malgorzata Knobloch and Igor Wiktorowicz of WITAMINA D. It's an appealing combination of half a tree trunk and a technical, laser-cut metal base. And it's certainly sturdy enough to endure the wear and tear of an urban abode.
More on the 1/2 Stool

November 4, 2014

See How Top Architects Build Sculptures from 100,000 Cans of Food to Help the Hungry

Food drives and can collections are not uncommon as we approach the holidays. And with Thanksgiving right around the corner, Canstruction is back again for its 22nd year with a brand new exhibit that invites New Yorkers to not only think about food in a whole new way, but to take part in a good cause. This year's event has invited 32 teams made up of NYC's top architecture and engineering design firms to turn 100,000 cans of food into spectacular sculptures at Brookfield Place. To give you a taste of what's to come when the exhibit opens this Thursday, some of last year's participants included big names like Skanska, Perkins Eastman, CetraRuddy, Ennead Architects, Arup, and Dattner Architects. Yes, these are more than just a bunch of stacked cans.
More on the new exhibit

November 3, 2014

Staten Island’s Abandoned 45-Acre Farm Colony Will Be Revitalized to Include a Massive Public Park

Staten Island's renaissance continues to move full steam ahead as the Landmarks Preservation Commission has unanimously approved the rehab of the long-abandoned poorhouse and farm located on the oft forgotten borough. Curbed reports that the New York City Farm Colony will be redeveloped into 350 units of senior housing with some retail space in a new eco-minded project called 'Landmark Colony'. The plan, which is being spearheaded by NFC Associates in cooperation with the New York City Economic Development Corporation and Vengoechea + Boyland Architecture was lauded for its site-sensitive design and ample green space.
find out more here

November 3, 2014

Poorex’s Tripod Furniture Makes a Statement on Three Legs

As New Yorkers, we're always on the hunt for space-saving furniture, but oftentimes those pieces don't quite meet our design esthetics. The Tripod Furniture collection, however, is an exception. Created by Polish design studio Poorex, the beach wood furniture puts a contemporary twist on the classic photography stand. The collection includes a lamp, clock, an adjustable mirror, two types of tables, and a toy. And since the pieces are able to expand and contract, the user can modify the tripod's height and angle to their specific needs, as well as fold it up for easy storage.
More details on the Tripod Furniture

November 3, 2014

Copper-Clad Writer’s Cabin by Andrew Berman Changes Color with the Sun

Some people need a tranquil, secluded space to create, and this stunning writing studio by Andrew Berman Architect is the perfect place to fulfill that need. Located in Bellport, New York, on Long Island's South Shore, this unique shelter is certainly eye-catching as it's entirely clad in copper. In addition to boasting a large central window that overlooks the green landscape, this charming abode also changes color depending on the light. Talk about an ideal spot for daydreaming and curing writer's block...
More on the house here

November 3, 2014

Today’s the Day: Condé Nast Moves into One World Trade Center

More than nine years after ground broke at One World Trade Center, the tower's first and largest tenant, Condé Nast, is moving in. Though the media company will not complete its move until January, the relocation actually began last weekend when 2,800 orange crates full of files, photos, and books were carted downtown from the media company's Times Square office. Today, 175 employees will start their days at One WTC, the first wave of the 3,400 employees at 18 magazines. And as the New York Times notes, the scene they're encountering is much different than when construction began nearly a decade ago. As the number of financial institutions has declined, tech firms, advertising agencies, and media companies have made the Financial District their new home, along with a residential population of 61,000.
More on the big move here

November 2, 2014

And About That Grecian Temple on the Henry Hudson Parkway…

By Stephanie Hoina

New York City is filled with an abundance of structural treasures that are hard to miss. From the Brooklyn Bridge to the Chrysler Building to the soon-to-be-opened Freedom Tower, there is no shortage of architectural eye candy vying for your attention. Which means some pretty spectacular little gems get lost in the shuffle. Like the curious white, Doric-columned structure located off the Henry Hudson Parkway near West 190th Street. Part of Fort Washington Park, this scenic overlook perched over 100 feet above the Henry Hudson River is known as Inspiration Point – a perfect moniker given its breathtaking vistas of the river, George Washington Bridge, and the majestic Palisades in neighboring New Jersey.
Learn more here

October 31, 2014

Tsao & McKown Re-Tailor an 1850s Derelict Farmhouse into a Charming Weekend Retreat

When Brooklyn-based architecture firm Tsao & McKown arrived to this farmer’s cottage in upstate New York, they found the 1850’s building in a complete derelict state. They made all efforts to preserve its original charm, paying special attention to the materials and details found in every corner of the house. Located in Rhinebeck, this woodland retreat is full of endangered crafts and classic pieces by the likes of Victorian designer Christopher Dresser and Danish designer Hans Wegner.
Learn more about this charming renovation filled with classics

<b>6 of New York’s Spookiest, Scariest and Downright Strangest Homes</b>

You can live here!

October 30, 2014

6 of New York’s Spookiest, Scariest and Downright Strangest Homes

Every day at 6sqft we pretty much find ourselves in awe saying "We can't believe people live like this!" But every so often we come across a home that has us muttering "People live like this??" In celebration of All Hallow's Eve, we've rounded up six spooky and scary Manhattan and Brooklyn residences. One is filled to the brim with dead animals, another hides a secret underground portal, and another harbors an incredible tale of murder and deceit. Jump ahead to see all six them all—and if you'd ever dare live in one of these petrifying pads, you're in luck because several of these homes are for sale. Lucky you?
For these homes, it's Halloween year-round

Relax in This Giant Birdsnest by OGE Creative Group

Since there's snow predicted for tomorrow, we're starting to get in the mood to curl up in a warm, comfy chair with a good book. But while we've been dreaming about La-Z-Boys and plush sofas, the imaginative designers at OGE Creative Group were busy coming up with the ultimate cozy lounger--the Giant Birdsnest. Known officially as the "Giant Birdsnest for creating new ideas," this bed/couch hybrid was conceived as a new and inspiring social space that fuses furniture and playground.
More on the fun-loving Giant Birdsnest here

October 30, 2014

Construction Halted on Karim Rashid’s Harlem Condo After Buddha Statue Gets Decapitated

Karim Rashid's condo at 329 Pleasant Avenue just can't seem to win. Weeks ago, the designer was forced to scrap the building's cyan and magenta color scheme for a more subdued palette, and now DNA Info reports that the city has issued a partial stop-work order on the building. The halting of construction comes after the city received complaints from neighbors that their foundations were being damaged by digging and careless workers. But the greatest victim in all of this? How about this Buddha statue which was decapitated by a construction worker.
More on the drama

October 30, 2014

Tour the Lent-Riker-Smith Homestead and Cemetery, Queens’ Oldest Private Residence

In a world where you can virtually tour real estate listings, it's nice to know that the good, old-fashioned house tour hasn't gone out of style. And this Saturday, one of the oldest homes in Queens is opening its doors for a tour of its refurbished interior, exceptional gardens, and historic cemetery. The Lent-Riker-Smith Homestead in East Elmhurst was built circa 1656 by Abraham Riker, an early settler of New Amsterdam. Its current owner Marion Duckworth Smith still lives in the home, which makes the property the oldest private residence in the borough. She and her late husband Michael Smith began restoring the home in 1980, and since then Smith has offered the occasional tour, giving guests a glimpse into the Riker burial ground, which holds the remains of 132 descendants, the interior living areas, and the picturesque gardens, which include a gazebo and workshop designed to look like a gingerbread house.
More on the house's history and the upcoming tour

October 29, 2014

Greenwich Village Townhouse Boasts Cool Rooftop Office and Personal Secret Garden

By Rebecca Paul

Simply put, this historic Greenwich Village property, designed by BW Architects, is amazing. A sophisticated balance of design elements that blend the old with the new are incorporated throughout the 4000-square-foot home. And not only is it beautiful, but the 1840s townhome underwent an extensive reconstruction project, completed in 2012, that made it the first townhouse in downtown Manhattan to earn a LEED for Homes Gold rating. And have we mentioned its incredible rooftop office?
Check out the home

October 29, 2014

It Will Cost $32 to Visit One World Trade Center’s Observatory

On Monday we learned that tourism is predicted to bring in one quarter, roughly $53 million, of the One World Trade Center's annual revenue by 2019. And now the much-talked-about ticket price to visit the three-floor observation deck of the tower, known as One World Observatory, has been revealed. It will cost $32 for an adult to visit the observatory when it opens in the spring of 2015.
More details and renderings of the observatory ahead

October 29, 2014

Unique Historic Penthouse with Intriguing Past Asks $7 Million

By Aisha Carter

The penthouse of one of Manhattan’s most prestigious and unique landmark apartment houses has just hit the market, asking $7.25 million. The one-of-a-kind pad was formerly the squash-tennis court of Kingdon Gould, grandson of the infamous multimillionaire financier Jay Gould, who notably fell from grace for manipulating gold and railroad stocks. Kingdon’s custom-built quarters consisted of a triplex penthouse with a fourth-level painting studio for his mother, and 20 rooms, including a double-height music room.
Take a look inside, here

October 28, 2014

I-Beam Design’s Pixelated Chelsea Renovation is Made From 20,000 LEGO Bricks

We all love and played with LEGO when we were kids, and this New York loft apartment is just another great example of how versatile the colorful Danish bricks are. The story begins when the son of Melissa Marks and Vicente Caride got too old not to have a door on his bedroom, so his parents decided to renovate their Chelsea loft in an innovative and playful way. I-Beam Design was called to do the job, and together with LEGO artist Sean Kenney they created an amazing pixelated new stair railing and wall using 20,000 LEGO bricks.
Learn more about this pixelated home

October 27, 2014

Has the Failed B2 Tower Ruined Large-Scale Prefab Housing for the City?

Prefab housing has taken the world by storm in the last years, lauded for its low cost and flexibility, with buildings ranging from single-family homes to art schools popping up across the globe. But not until Forest City Ratner's plan for B2 BKLYN have we seen an attempt to build a large-scale module tower topping out at 32-stories—the world's tallest prefab tower. It's well known that the project has been a big flop; construction was far slower than originally projected and was halted in August amidst disputes between the builder, Skansa USA, and the developer, Forest City Ratner. In September lawsuits went flying, both pointing fingers as to why the whole thing failed. Forest City blamed the execution of the plan, while Skanska said the design was flawed. Fast-forward to today, and the work on the tower has been shut down with only 10 stories erected. A recent WSJ article looks at where the whole thing went awry, and more importantly: Is pre-fab construction even feasible at such a scale?
READ MORE

October 27, 2014

Steven Holl’s ‘Writing With Light House’ Plays with the Light That Filters through Its Wooden Skin

American architect and watercolorist Steven Holl was inspired by Jackson Pollock's 1949 'Seven in Eight' paintings when designing this stunning property. Called the 'Writing With Light House', it stands near the former abstract expressionist painter's studio on Long Island and features wide-open interiors brightened with natural light. Boasting a striking linear wooden skin that lets the elements filter through, the power of this design can be best appreciated when the light lines inside play with the spaces throughout the day.
Learn more about this playful wooden house

October 27, 2014

Philippe Is a Skeletal Lamp by Zia Priven Sure to Be the Backbone of Any Room

No, it's not a Halloween decoration. Philippe is a year-round floor lamp that's sure to spice up any room with its eerily glamorous appeal. Created by the lighting designers at Zia Priven, this lamp resembles a skeleton you might find at the doctor's office. The only difference is it's topped with lamp shade and comes finished in silver, bronze, or a natural-looking bone white.
More details on Philippe here

October 27, 2014

It’s Expected That Tourism Will Bring in 25% of One World Trade Center’s Revenue

On Friday, news broke that anchor tenant Condé Nast will begin its big move in to One World Trade Center on November 3rd. And now we've learned that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, along with the Durst Organization, is predicting that one quarter, roughly $53 million, of the tower's annual revenue will be generated from tourism by 2019. The three-floor observation deck of the tower, known as One World Observatory, is expected to be visited by about 3.5 million people per year. Legends Hospitality LLC, the developer of the observatory, has not yet revealed what it will cost to visit the site, but it's expected to be on par with the Empire State Building, which received $101 million in 2013 from visits to its observatory (it costs $29 per person), 40% of its annual revenue.
Learn more about this prediction and the state-of-the-art observation deck here

October 26, 2014

Watermill Residence is Topped With Wildflowers and Powered by Geothermal Energy

Andrew Berman Architect PLLC is a New York-based practice focused on the realization of unique and finely executed spaces, and the stunning Watermill Residence is not an exception. Created for a family of three generations, it features lovely, light-filled interiors and plenty of outdoors space for enjoying nature. It's made from an elegant combination of wood and polished concrete, is topped by a green roof made from local wildflowers and grasses, and is powered by geothermal energy.
Learn more about this stunning green-roofed residence

October 24, 2014

Terra Cotta in New York City: Beautiful Buildings Adorned in Ceramic

Glazed terra cotta (a clay-based ceramic) became a popular architectural material in the United States between the late 1800's and 1930's thanks to being sturdy, relatively inexpensive, fireproof, and easily molded into ornamented detail. Plus, it was easy to make it look like granite or limestone, much more expensive materials. Terra cotta really took off when some of Chicago and New York's great architects, Cass Gilbert, Louis Sullivan, and Daniel H. Burnham, incorporated the material in to their most famous works such as the Woolworth Building, Bayard-Condict Building, and Flatiron Building, respectively. Additionally, Rafael Guastavino adorned many of the great Beaux-Arts masterpieces with his famous terra cotta tiled vaults. There are countless buildings in New York City that owe their elegance to glazed terra cotta, and we've put together a list of some of our favorites.
Explore terra cotta in NYC

October 24, 2014

Move-In Day at One World Trade Center Set for November 3