Architecture And Design

Originally built in 1904, “Orient Lodge” is a restored Arts and Crafts compound on Saw Mill Pond that looks like it belongs on an Adirondack lake. The original 40-acre lot housed a saw and grist mill, dating from 1825. Legend has it that the owner cut down chestnut trees on the site to build the house. The lot has since been reduced to just over two acres but it still has an estate feel and is now up for sale asking $1,950,000 (h/t CIRCA). Not only will that get you the three-story main house--which has been fittingly outfitted with historic Asian features--but a detached two-car garage with deck, a separate cottage, and the original landscaping.
Tour the whole property

May 23, 2018

Go off-the-grid glamping at the Catskills’ Eastwind Hotel

Off-the-grid, A-frame huts are all the rage in the Catskills. Last week, we wrote about Bjarke Ingels' triangular prefab "inspired by the Catskills." Now, another appearance makes the news as the Eastwind Hotel reopens June 1st. Just two hours north of New York City, Eastwind was originally built in the 1920s as a bunkhouse for hunters, fly fishermen, and outdoor enthusiasts. The hotel reopens in a few weeks with 19 rooms and three A-frame, glamping huts nestled in the woods.
Get a look around

May 23, 2018

Study looks at the tallest buildings ever demolished and confirms 270 Park Avenue will top the list

Back in February, 6sqft reported that the Union Carbide Building at 270 Park Avenue–currently the JP Morgan Chase headquarters–was set to be the largest intentionally demolished building in history when plans move forward to replace the 700-foot-tall structure with a tower that will likely rise to over 1,200 feet. ArchDaily brings us a study done by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) that looks at the 100 tallest buildings ever to be demolished by their owners. The study, aptly titled, "Tallest Demolished Buildings," confirms that if the current plans move forward, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's 270 Park Avenue would indeed become the tallest to go down–and the first over 200 meters in height.
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Daniel Libeskind will redesign a new star for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Image via Swarovski

May 18, 2018

Daniel Libeskind will redesign a new star for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Swarovski has tapped architect Daniel Libeskind to redesign a new star to top the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, the first time it will be replaced in 14 years. Libeskind, who is best known for designing the master site plan for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, called the star "a symbol that represents our greatest ambitions for hope, unity and peace." According to Architectural Digest, Libeskind's geometric, angular designs made him an easy choice as the new topper's designer.
Get the sparkling details

Proposal calls for a floating pedestrian bridge to connect Greenpoint and Long Island City

Rendering via CRÈME / Jun Aizaki Architecture and Design

May 17, 2018

Proposal calls for a floating pedestrian bridge to connect Greenpoint and Long Island City

A Kickstarter campaign launched on Thursday for a civic design project aimed at reconnecting the neighborhoods of Greenpoint and Long Island City and the residents who live there. Brooklyn-based studio CRÈME/ Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design's concept, called Timber Bridge at LongPoint Corridor, calls for constructing a floating bridge made of durable timber that would sit on Newtown Creek and expand past to the LIRR rail yard in LIC. Not only would it provide people greater access to transit options, according to the design team, Timber Bridge would give bikers and pedestrians a safer commute than the Pulaski Bridge, a less-than-ideal path with lots of cars.
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Architecture And Design

May 17, 2018

$5.5M converted firehouse could be Long Island City’s most expensive sale

A listing broker for this 1848 former local firehouse told the Wall Street Journal that its $5.5 million asking price was “aspirational,” but the neighborhood certainly has changed since its owner purchased the three-story, 3,500 square-foot converted townhouse in 1981 for $115,000. Long Island City turned fancy and this Federal-style firehouse got an architect-led overhaul that gave it three bedrooms, a 17-foot vaulted ceiling, a home office/library, a garden, a terrace, a garage, an elevator, and a sliding glass wall.
Hop in the elevator, take the tour

May 17, 2018

Bjarke Ingels reveals off-grid tiny house in the Catskills

Bjarke Ingels is everywhere. Literally. Three weeks ago, we wrote about his new design for 2 Penn Plaza. Two weeks ago, we wrote about his amazing XI sales gallery experience with the stage designer Es Devlin. Last week, it was his new role as Chief Architect at WeWork. And now, BIG has just announced Bjarke built an off-the-grid triangular tiny house in the Catskills with designer and interior architect Soren Rose. (Does this rockstarchitect ever sleep?) Bjarke Ingels Group shared with 6sqft this exclusive set of photos of the mini modern abode, which blends the A-frame architecture of the upstate area with a Nordic aesthetic.
Lots more details and renderings ahead

Landmarks approves three-story glass addition to Willem de Kooning’s former Union Square studio

Revised rendering via DXA Studio

May 15, 2018

Landmarks approves three-story glass addition to Willem de Kooning’s former Union Square studio

Last November, the owner of newly-landmarked buildings at 827-831 Broadway, noted for their cast-iron architecture and as the home of artist Willem de Kooning, submitted a proposal for a four-story prismatic glass addition and landscaped roof terrace that architects DXA Studio say was influenced by de Kooning's work. After sending the plan back to the drawing board twice, the Landmarks Preservation Commission on Monday finally approved the revised design, which reduces the height of the addition to three stories and places it more setback from the street. LPC recommends that DXA use a darker cladding material over 47 East 12th Street to give it a totally matte finish.
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Quirky nautical-themed Brooklyn Heights flat where Norman Mailer wrote his novels lists for $2.4M

Not only did Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Norman Mailer write several of his well-known novels including “The Executioner’s Song” and “Ancient Evenings” while living on the top floor of this landmarked 1840 townhouse at 142 Columbia Heights, the author transformed the space to resemble a ship, complete with a double-height glass and wood atrium and a smooth wood ceiling that recalled a sailboat's curves. This unique property, now on the market for $2.4 million, spans 1,636 square feet, and features multiple outdoor terraces with sweeping views of Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. The sale also includes a separate one-bedroom unit on the third floor.
But there's more

May 15, 2018

Fogarty Finger transforms a former Jersey City propeller factory into a beautiful single-family home

In a stunning renovation, architecture firm Fogarty Finger Architects transformed this Jersey City home, a former 1800s propeller pattern factory in the Paulus Hook neighborhood, into a luxurious single-family residence (h/t Dezeen). The original building was a workshop for Alexander Thomson & Sons Pattern Makers, a company that cast wooden forms into metal for propellers. The firm preserved the historic building shell, added a second floor, and excavated the cellar, increasing the living space from the original 3,500 square feet to 8,500 and incorporating unique outdoor space at each level.
Take the tour

May 14, 2018

Proposal for NYSE district overhaul calls for curbless streets, greenery and enhanced lighting

In an effort to enhance the accessibility and the appearance of the New York Stock Exchange district, a new proposal is calling for curbless streets, enhanced lighting, multi-functional seating and simplified security structures. The Alliance for Downtown New York released on Monday a study that details ways to improve the historic area to make it more appealing and easier to navigate. While the corner of Wall and Broad Street has witnessed more than 400 years of Lower Manhattan history, starting when Dutch settlers built a wall as the city's northern border, the area is not living up to its potential as one of New York City's crown jewels, according to Jessica Lappin, the president of the Alliance. The study is the result of a nine-month process, with the Alliance working in tandem with local stakeholders, community members and design partners, WXY Architecture + Urban Design. "This report lays out a roadmap," Lappin said in a press release. "It is a grand yet achievable vision that could turn the Stock Exchange District into the jewel it should be." The group estimates the overhaul project will cost roughly $30 million.
See the proposal

May 11, 2018

Tour mid century-modern icons from Philip Johnson, Marcel Breuer, Frank Lloyd Wright, and more

From May 15-18, the Iconic Houses Network will hold its bi-annual international conference in New Canaan, Connecticut and the surrounding area. This year’s conference, titled “Modernism on the East Coast – Philip Johnson and the Harvard Five,” will highlight the work of the famous five Harvard architects--Philip Johnson, John M. Johansen, Marcel Breuer, Landis Gores, and Eliot Noyes--who “stirred up an experimental modernist movement in the sleepy New England town.” There will be a number of different events, but perhaps most exciting is the slew of tours of modernist icons such as Johnson's Glass House, Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonia community,
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May 10, 2018

Six futuristic Skyport concepts revealed for flying Ubers

Uber has lofty goals- literally. 6sqft previously reported on the ride-sharing company's partnership with NASA to develop software to operate their “flying Ubers” for uberAIR by 2023. Clearly, flying Ubers need somewhere to takeoff and land, so yesterday, at their second annual elevate conference in Los Angeles, the company revealed the top six Skyport conceptual designs that are just as futuristic as the flying taxi concept itself.
Could these land in NYC?

May 10, 2018

Fresh renderings for One Beekman, Richard Rogers’ first residential building in the U.S.

Rendering of One Beekman courtesy of Noë & Associates with The Boundary New renderings have been unveiled for One Beekman, a mixed-use development designed by Richard Rogers, and it has nearly reached its 25-story pinnacle in the Financial District. As the firm's first residential project in the United States, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners have designed a tower that provides every single apartment with views of City Hall Park by shifting the circulation core to the south, according to the New York Times. The front of the building is open with oversized windows, allowing for half of the 31 total condo units to have outdoor terraces overlooking the park.
See them here

May 9, 2018

Tour the fashion and architecture of the Met’s “Heavenly Bodies” exhibit

On Monday night, Rihanna, Madonna and all of the celebrity A-listers posed on the Met Gala’s red carpet to show off their over-the-top interpretations of the Metropolitan Museum's 2018 Costume Institute exhibit “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” This year’s exhibit focuses on the dialogue between fashion and medieval art, displaying Papal robes and accessories from the Sistine Chapel, many of which have never been seen outside The Vatican. To house it all, the Met tapped architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfo (DS+R) to design the show, and ArchDaily has uncovered this gorgeous photo set showing their work.
Take a tour

WeWork hires Bjarke Ingels as Chief Architect

Photo of WeWork CEO Adam Neumann and Bjarke Ingels, by Alexei Hay for WeWork

May 8, 2018

WeWork hires Bjarke Ingels as Chief Architect

WeWork, the $20 billion provider of co-working and temporary office spaces, just announced that rockstarchitect Bjarke Ingels will be their Chief Architect, a role in which he'll advise the company on all their projects, as well as offer his insights and ideas. With Bjarke at the helm, WeWork hopes to impact buildings, neighborhoods, and even broader, the cities in which they're located by working with city planners and politicians to change the future for the better. In a press release written by CEO and co-founder Adam Neumann, WeWork boasts Bjarke’s creativity and practicality: “Bjarke caught my attention because he’s changing the way we think about architecture. His designs inspire as much as they surprise."
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Architecture And Design

Wall Street’s historic Trinity Church will partially close during a two-year, $99M renovation

Rendering of the canopy at the graveyard via Trinity Wall Street

May 7, 2018

Wall Street’s historic Trinity Church will partially close during a two-year, $99M renovation

The Trinity Church, whose history in New York City dates back 300 years, will partially close beginning Monday for a two-year, $98.6 million renovation of its nave, the main part of the church. As its first major revitalization in over 70 years, the landmarked church's project will restore parts of the original 1846 Gothic Revival style designed by Richard Upjohn. This includes rebuilding the chancel to its original size, increasing capacity by 140 seats and painting the interior walls and ceilings to reflect the original stone design. The reconstruction will move services and events at the Episcopal parish to nearby St. Paul's Chapel, but the Chapel of All Saints and the churchyard, where Alexander Hamilton is buried, will remain open throughout the project.
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Architecture And Design

May 4, 2018

Quaint Tudor house in the Upper West Side’s ‘hidden’ Pomander Walk asks $2.5M

As one of New York City's many hidden-in-plain-sight secret addresses, Pomander Walk is a gated 1920s community of Tudor-style mini-homes resembling an English village nestled right in the middle of Manhattan's Upper West Side. The brightly-painted home at 265 West 94th Street, asking $2.5 million, is a rarely-available opportunity to live in this unique village-in-the-city community.
Get a closer look

NYCxDesign 2018: A guide to this month’s best design events

Photo courtesy of Industry City

May 3, 2018

NYCxDesign 2018: A guide to this month’s best design events

Photo courtesy of Industry City New Yorkers love good design. They also love good festivals. And who doesn’t love a custom cocktail? Put those three together and you’ve got NYCxDESIGN. With over 400 different exhibitions, installations, trade shows, panels, product launches, open studios, and more, NYCxDESIGN runs from May 11–23 across the city’s five boroughs and is the biggest design event of the year. And to top it off, restaurants throughout the city are designing custom NYCxDESIGN cocktails, the perfect end to a perfect day. To help you navigate the scene, 6sqft has put together a guide to all the events you don't want to miss.
Check it out!

Master planning for huge Sunnyside Yard project to begin this summer

Photo via NYCEDC

May 3, 2018

Master planning for huge Sunnyside Yard project to begin this summer

The master planning process for the Sunnyside Yard project, a mammoth plan to build a new, fully planned neighborhood to Queens, will begin this summer, the city announced Thursday. Along with Amtrak, the city's economic development corporation said it will form a steering committee made up of local leaders and planning experts who will organize meetings and workshops to gain feedback from local residents. The Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) has officially been tapped to lead the planning process. A 2017 feasibility study found 70 acres of the 180-acre development would be viable for development. According to the city, the project could bring between roughly 11,000 and 15,000 new housing units and 15 to 20 acres of open space, new schools and retail amenities. About 3,300 to 4,500 new permanently affordable units could also be created. As of last year, the plan has an estimated price tag of $10 billion.
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May 3, 2018

$4M Flatiron duplex was 19th century starchitect Richard Morris Hunt’s studio

This $3.925 million combined sale in an historic Flatiron building is a unique opportunity for more than one reason. The 1870s Italianate townhouse at 28 East 21st Street, now a co-op, served as the studio of architect Richard Morris Hunt, whose designs include the Met as well as the Biltmore estate, The Breakers and other notable Gilded Age properties. It's also a chance to acquire an 1,850-square-foot duplex with three bedrooms plus a dreamy townhouse backyard complete with flowering dogwood and magnolia trees and a 250-square-foot artists' studio in the heart of the Flatiron district.
Take the tour

Vornado likely to keep Bjarke Ingels’ wave-like canopy design for 2 Penn Plaza overhaul

Rendering via BIG

May 2, 2018

Vornado likely to keep Bjarke Ingels’ wave-like canopy design for 2 Penn Plaza overhaul

Instead of razing and redeveloping its 2 Penn Plaza office tower, Vornado Realty Trust said on Tuesday it will simply renovate the building. As Commercial Observer reported, the company's CEO, Steven Roth, said earlier plans of demolishing the 31-story tower and grabbing 5 million square feet of development rights from Madison Square Garden to build a bigger tower, would not be feasible. Moving forward with option B, Vornado will likely stick with designs from Bjarke Ingels Group. More than two years ago, BIG revealed renderings that showed a wave-like canopy of glass panels that would envelope 2 Penn Plaza above the retail entrances on the ground floor.
More this way

Architecture And Design

See the rooftop sculpture garden that will grow next to Zaha Hadid’s High Line condo

Rendering via Future Green

May 1, 2018

See the rooftop sculpture garden that will grow next to Zaha Hadid’s High Line condo