Architecture And Design

February 12, 2018

Pier 40 concept envisions an offshore apartment complex that allows for sea-level rise

Local multidisciplinary creative firm DFA has come up with a concept for the rehabilitation of Manhattan's rapidly disintegrating Pier 40 that would provide housing and other services, but would also adapt to the predicted rising sea levels of future New York City. Dezeen reports on the firm's fascinating idea for a future-proof housing, commercial and recreation complex that rises from the Hudson River in the West Village and would be able to remain above water in the event of rising sea levels, while addressing the city's dire need for affordable housing and the ability to resist flooding as a result of climate change.
Find out more about the future-proof floating pier

Architecture And Design

New renderings revealed for SCDA’s flashy 11-story condo on the High Line

Rendering via Neoscape

February 9, 2018

New renderings revealed for SCDA’s flashy 11-story condo on the High Line

By Devin Gannon

A swath of new renderings of SCDA Architects' condo tower was released this week, more than three years after the project was first announced in 2014. As Curbed NY learned, the new renderings of the building, located, at 515 West 29th Street, show a glass fin facade and the interiors of the 15 planned apartments, including five penthouses. Forum Absolute Capital Partners is developing the tower, dubbed Five One Five, which will contain two- and three-bedroom units ranging from $4.3 million to $8.5 million. CORE is handling sales and marketing.
See it here

See new photos of SHoP Architects’ Domino rental tower at 325 Kent

Photo: Adrian Gaut

February 9, 2018

See new photos of SHoP Architects’ Domino rental tower at 325 Kent

By Michelle Cohen

Now that the doughnut-shaped 16-story waterfront rental building at 325 Kent Avenue is nearly complete, you can take a look at some seductive new snaps of interiors and amenity spaces to see if it lives up to the hype. The first structure at the 11-acre Domino Sugar Factory site to open, the 522-unit riverfront tower brings something new to ogle to the famously rezoned Williamsburg neighborhood’s veritable city of glassy condo towers that surround the landmarked Refinery building.
More photos, yoga and food this way

February 8, 2018

For $1.6M, a historic upstate church-turned-music venue can be your personal house of worship

By Emily Nonko

This historic 19th century building was once home to a German Lutheran church--and now it's the site of a super-cool live music venue and recording studio in upstate New York. Located in the charming town of Hudson, at 21 North 6th Street, the space now offers a buyer some unique opportunities. At an ask of $1.59 million, the listing says, "with certificate of occupancy allowing for both commercial and residential use, this remarkable property can also be reimagined and adapted for any number of commercial uses like a concert hall or an event space, a live and work space for artists, or a phenomenal private residence." One thing's for sure, the bones of this former house of worship--including everything from a spiral staircase to stained glass--are unbeatable.
Look around

How NYC’s 2012 Olympic Village would have transformed the Queens waterfront

Renderings of the winning design by Morphosis

February 7, 2018

How NYC’s 2012 Olympic Village would have transformed the Queens waterfront

By Ondel Hylton

With the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea kicking off in just two days, we can't help but think what an incredible 17 days it would have been if they were here in New York City (logistical concerns aside). The city came closest in 2004 when it was chosen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as one of the five finalists to host the 2012 Olympics. London, Paris, Moscow and Madrid were the other four. Splashy renderings planted 27 venues across all five boroughs, New Jersey and Long Island, but the winning, and perhaps most eye-catching, proposal was the Olympic Village in Long Island City's Hunter's Point South by Thom Mayne's Morphosis.
Get the full history here

February 6, 2018

This 68-square-foot Upper West Side ‘apartment’ is $950/month

By Hannah Frishberg

There is perhaps no greater testament to New York City’s appeal than the abundance of itty bitty, overpriced apartments in appealing neighborhoods. And this Upper West Side residence might just take the cake. The lister of the SRO at 148 West 70th Street at least appreciates how ridiculous the setup is. The apartment, located an avenue and a half from Central Park, is a measly 68 square feet – “yup you read that right,” the listing reads. A fifth-floor walkup in a brownstone with a communal bathroom, the apartment is renting for a whopping $950/month.
Step inside, if you can fit

West Side art center The Shed plans a pre-opening exhibit this spring

Rendering by NLÉ Works

February 6, 2018

West Side art center The Shed plans a pre-opening exhibit this spring

By Emily Nonko

About one year before opening in the spring of 2019, The Shed, the art center rising near Hudson Yards, will present a free event on an undeveloped lot at 10th Avenue and 30th Street. The multi-arts exhibit will happen between May 1st to May 13th, just one block away from the center's future home. "We are temporarily transforming an empty lot into a flexible public space for new work, collaboration, and dialogue," Alex Poots, CEO of The Shed said in a press release. That means a cool temporary space, designed by the architect Kunlé Adeyemi of NLÉ Works and artist Tino Sehgal, to host a variety of music, dance and performance.
Read more about the upcoming shows

February 5, 2018

Largest timber-constructed office building in the nation planned for Newark’s waterfront

By Devin Gannon

Lotus Equity Group announced on Monday plans to bring the largest mass timber office building in the United States to the Newark waterfront. Michael Green Architecture has been tapped to design the 500,000-square-foot office building made with a wooden structure for Riverfront Square, a massive mixed-use development proposed for the Broad Street corridor of the Jersey neighborhood, according to the Wall Street Journal. The building will rise in three separate sections to six, eight and 11 stories tall and have a concrete foundation. Its columns, exterior panels, elevators, stairwells and floor systems will be made of mass timber. Interiors will boast exposed wood with a facade covered in metal panels, brick or wood.
Find out more

Extell’s Brooklyn Point tower will have the highest rooftop pool in the city

Brooklyn Point renderings via Williams New York

February 5, 2018

Extell’s Brooklyn Point tower will have the highest rooftop pool in the city

By Dana Schulz

It's no surprise that the supertall savants at Extell--who are currently constructing the 1,550-foot Central Park Tower as the world's tallest residential building--used their first foray into Brooklyn to smash yet another sky-high record. The Post reports that the developer's City Point tower, dubbed Brooklyn Point, will boast the highest rooftop pool in the entire city. Sitting at the top of the 720-foot luxury condo at 138 Willoughby Street, it will be a 27-foot-long saltwater infinity pool, complete with a full lounge area, a stargazing observatory, and space for outdoor movie screenings.
More details and views ahead

February 2, 2018

Richard Meier’s modernist Smith House in Connecticut lists for $14.5M

By Emily Nonko

There's no shortage of stunning modern homes designed in Connecticut by prominent architects, from Philip Johnson to Marcel Breuer. Add Richard Meier to that list, an architect currently making a big mark here in New York with his first NYC skyscraper design. He was just 31 when he designed the Smith House in Darien, Connecticut, which hit the market last week for $14.5 million. The home--with stark white walls, a geometric design and expanses of glass--was built in 1967 right along the Long Island Sound waterfront.
See the striking interior

Where I Work: Weaving and dying indoor hammocks with Bushwick design collective Pouch

By Dana Schulz

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring high-end interior hammock company Pouch's Bushwick studio.Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! Picture yourself lounging in a hammock. Perhaps you're a kid on summer break in the backyard or on a trip to the islands relaxing on a beach. Wherever this vision takes you, it's that weightless, carefree feeling that probably comes to mind, which is the sensation that Bushwick-based design collective Pouch is trying to recreate inside the home with their handmade hammocks. According to founder and design director Robert Ramirez, the company believes the feeling of being on vacation should be incorporated into everyday life and that their product provides "a moment of retreat and relaxation amid the craze of city life." Working with a group of artisans in El Salvador who employ a traditional Salvadoran weaving technique and a fellow Bushwick company that naturally dyes all the cotton (using materials like tree bark and avocado pits), Robert has taken his family's roots and brought them to what is arguably the maker capital of the country. 6sqft recently visited Pouch's Brooklyn studio to learn more about the company and see how the hammocks are made, step-by-step.
Learn more about Pouch and tour their studio

INTERVIEW: Flank Development’s Mick Walsdorf on bringing timber construction back to NYC

360 Wythe Avenue, courtesy 320 and 360 Wythe/Flank

January 31, 2018

INTERVIEW: Flank Development’s Mick Walsdorf on bringing timber construction back to NYC

By Emily Nonko

Last November, news broke that Manhattan-based firm Flank Architecture + Development would construct two mid-rise office and retail buildings made of timber in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the first to be built in New York in over a century. Located at 320 and 360 Wythe Avenues, they are currently rising three and five stories, constructed from raw Canadian wood, which will be engineered into nail-laminated timber panels. The timber structure will rise above the concrete foundation, then it'll be covered by a brick facade. Flank co-founder Mick Walsdorf has said the ambitious project "will expand the limits of traditional construction and usher in a new era of sustainability-minded building practices." The firm has grown significantly since Walsdorf and Jon Kully were studying together at Columbia's Graduate School for Architecture, envisioning the possibilities of a joint architecture and development firm. Since then Flank has tackled the development and design of residential and commercial projects across the city, from The Boerum condominium in Brooklyn to the condo conversion at 40 Walker Street in Tribeca. With 6sqft, Mick discusses the history of the firm and the benefits of tackling both the architecture and development side of a project in New York City. He also gets into detail about why Flank decided to take on timber construction, and how construction is expected to unroll this year.
Keep reading for the full interview

January 29, 2018

New renderings revealed for Union Square’s Tammany Hall redevelopment by BKSK

By Devin Gannon

The makeover of the landmarked Tammany Hall at 44 Union Square East, formerly home to the Democratic party machine that dominated New York City politics for years, continues to progress, with recently released renderings showcasing a bright, unique office and retail space. As CityRealty learned, there will be multiple retail scenarios on the building's first three floors, with three levels of office space, most likely for finance or TAMI companies, above. Designed by BKSK Architects, the top floor will feature the glistening, shell-like glass dome, allowing an abundance of natural light in, as well as spectacular Union Square views.
READ MORE

January 26, 2018

The Eleventh, Bjarke Ingels’ pair of twisting towers, takes shape along the High Line

By Devin Gannon

The Eleventh, a pair of slanted towers designed by Bjarke Ingels', officially went vertical in West Chelsea this week. Developed by HFZ Capital, the two-building complex at 76 Eleventh Avenue sits near the High Line between West 18th and 17th Streets. A space between the buildings at their base gives the illusion that the buildings are being pulled apart, and its ruled corners highlight the towers' movement. The project is expected to be completed sometime in 2019.
See it here

January 25, 2018

In Clinton Hill, two Brooklyn Home Company-designed carriage houses ask $3.4M apiece

By Michelle Cohen

We love the uniqueness of restored 19th century carriage houses, in part because we don't see them on the market as often as standard-issue townhouses. In this case you get two chances at owning one: Adjacent carriage houses at 409 and 411 Vanderbilt Avenue in Clinton Hill just emerged from top-to-toe renovations by designer fix-and-flip favorites The Brooklyn Home Company. They're up for sale for $3.4 million and $3.35 million, respectively.
See double, take the tours

January 24, 2018

Design studio White Arrow turned a Ridgewood townhouse into a modern two-family home

By Emily Nonko

The plan to turn an early 1900s Ridgewood townhouse into a two-family home was also an opportunity for the Manhattan design firm White Arrow to design bold, modern interiors throughout. The two-story townhouse is now configured with an upper-level owner's level, and a rental unit on the ground floor. More importantly, the spaces are finished with modern furniture, bursts of color, and a playfulness that makes it hard not to want to move right in.
Get the full look

January 24, 2018

Pre-war prestige: NYC’s top-10 buildings designed by Emery Roth

By Matthew Marani

From the Bronx to Brooklyn, architect Emery Roth (1871-1948) left an indelible mark on the architecture and cityscape of New York. Specializing in luxury apartment buildings, the advent of steel-frame construction facilitated Roth’s projection of historicist designs to new heights. While Roth is best known for prestigious projects such as his slew of residences along Central Park West, he also designed numerous middle-class homes and houses of worship. Adding to the impressiveness of his scope of work is the story behind the man.
Learn about Emery Roth and his most distinctive projects

January 22, 2018

Lavish Renaissance Revival brownstone just outside Prospect Park asks $6M

By Emily Nonko

This five-story Brooklyn brownstone--packed with pre-war details--is less than 25 yards from the borough's beloved Prospect Park. Located at 572 1st Street in Park Slope, it's currently configured as an owner’s triplex with a rental duplex on the top two floors. And it's huge: the building measures 22 feet wide and 52 feet deep, with 18 feet extensions on two levels. Details include everything from tiled fireplaces to stained glass to enormous mirrors to ornate woodwork. It's just been listed for the substantial sum of $5.995 million.
Take a look around

The new Nordic: Scandinavian design goes from Ikea to luxury NYC real estate

505 West 19th Street via Thomas Juul Hansen

January 22, 2018

The new Nordic: Scandinavian design goes from Ikea to luxury NYC real estate

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Scandinavian design is on the rise in luxury residences. At first, that might seem like an oxymoron since Scandinavian design was founded on the principles of utility, affordability, and simplicity - and high-end residents are not. But luxe and Scandinavian design have found much common ground. From its early 20th century roots, based on Germany's Bauhaus school and developed in the Nordic region, to the mass-produced appeal of Ikea, the trend has certainly remained at the forefront of the design world. And perhaps now it's seeing its biggest moment, serving as a major selling point for hot new NYC condo projects such as Carroll Gardens' 145 President and being reimagined by of-the-moment firms like Morris Adjmi and Denmark's own Thomas Juul-Hansen.
READ MORE

After funding lawsuit against Pier55 offshore park, Durst joins board of Hudson River Park Trust

Rendering via Pier55, Inc

January 16, 2018

After funding lawsuit against Pier55 offshore park, Durst joins board of Hudson River Park Trust

By Devin Gannon

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer appointed Douglas Durst on Friday to the board of the Hudson River Park Trust, a group he has frequently criticized over their proposed Pier55 project. Durst admitted last year to funding a lawsuit to stop the trust's plan for an off-shore park on the Hudson River. While billionaire businessman Barry Diller, who is funding the $250 million project, halted construction in September, the plan was restored a month later, with pressure and financial help from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Brewer told Crain's that Durst didn't volunteer, she asked him to join the board. "I think he loves the park," she said.
Find out more

January 10, 2018

LPC sends glassy addition to Willem de Kooning’s former Union Square loft back to the drawing board

By Michelle Cohen

Back in November, the developer/owner of a pair of newly-landmarked buildings at 827-831 Broadway--noted for their cast-iron architecture and a rich cultural history that includes serving as home to 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. Yesterday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission received the proposal with mixed reviews, feeling skeptical about whether or not cultural events should influence a building's architecture. After hearing testimony from a slew of local residents and preservationists who feel the glass topper is too large, the LPC decided to take no action on the plan, instead sending the team back to the drawing board to better detail the restoration aspects and reconsider the addition as perhaps shorter and further setback.
More details and renderings ahead

To save Nolita’s Elizabeth Street Garden, a nonprofit wants to take ownership from the city

Sketch of Elizabeth Street Garden’s Site A courtesy of Ella Barnes/ESG

January 9, 2018

To save Nolita’s Elizabeth Street Garden, a nonprofit wants to take ownership from the city

By Devin Gannon

A nonprofit with a mission to protect and preserve the Elizabeth Street Garden in Nolita released on Tuesday a plan to designate the park as a Community Land Trust (CLT), meaning it would no longer require funding from the city. The group, aptly named Elizabeth Street Garden (ESG), unveiled renderings of what the park could look like as a CLT, including a new composting station, solar panels, a volunteer work shed and more. The proposal from ESG comes after the city announced last month plans to demolish the garden to make way for an affordable senior housing development.
More this way

The highlife: Architecture, spectacle and Art Deco New York

Photo of the 1931 Beaux Arts Ball courtesy of the Van Alen Institute

January 5, 2018

The highlife: Architecture, spectacle and Art Deco New York

By Lucie Levine

The architects who built the Jazz Age really knew how to get down. In January 1931, they turned the city’s annual Beaux Arts Ball into the ultimate Gatsby-approved bash. Instead of the stuffy historicism of years past, the party’s theme was “Fête Moderne -- a Fantasie in Flame and Silver." Advance advertising for the Ball in the New York Times promised an event “modernistic, futuristic, cubistic, altruistic, mystic, architistic and feministic," featuring the city’s most renowned architects dressed as their buildings, celebrating both themselves and the modern fantasy metropolis they had forged in flame and silver. Art Deco New York: the skyscraper city, glittering and strong, reaching ever higher – through technological advancement and American ingenuity – toward excitement, prosperity, enlightenment, and power.
READ MORE

January 5, 2018

A 407-acre state park will replace a landfill in Central Brooklyn next year

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced a plan to create a 407-acre state park on Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn, which would be the largest state park in New York City. As a part of the $1.4 billion "Vital Brooklyn" initiative, the park would add much-needed green space in the Central Brooklyn neighborhood, an area the governor has described as a "park desert." Formerly the site of two landfills, the open space will be converted into parkland with opportunities for biking, hiking, fishing, kayaking, as well as educational facilities and an amphitheater.
See renderings of the park here