Architecture And Design

October 25, 2016

Columbia’s DeathLab proposes a suspended cemetery of pods under the Manhattan Bridge

Each decade in the New York metropolitan area about 500,000 people are buried in cemetery plots, taking up a dwindling amount of land and outputting cremation smog into the air. With this growing issue in mind, a trans-disciplinary research and design group at Columbia University known as DeathLab has been working for the past five years to reconceive "how we live with death in the metropolis." One of their proposals is Constellation Park, a system of hundreds of burial pods suspended under the Manhattan Bridge that together create a twinkling public park. Atlas Obscura shared the design, which, if built, could reportedly accommodate around 10 percent of city deaths a year.
The surprising reason why these pods twinkle

October 24, 2016

Trinity Church reveals plans for $300M Pelli Clarke Pelli-designed tower to rise behind historic church

By Dana Schulz

Trinity Church Wall Street was built in 1846 by Richard Upjohn and is considered one of the first and best examples of Neo-Gothic architecture in the entire country. But behind its historic steeple, which made it the city's tallest building until 1890, will soon rise a modern, 26-story, mixed-use tower. The Wall Street Journal reports that Trinity has revealed its design for a Pelli Clarke Pelli-designed building, which will be linked to the church by a foot bridge over Trinity Place. The new 310,000-square-foot structure will house the Trinity Church Parish Center at its base, along with a cafe, gymnasium, flexible space for classrooms or art/music studios, and church offices. Above the Center, on floors 10 through 26, will be commercial office space
More details ahead

October 21, 2016

Renderings revealed for Gensler’s communal sky lobby at One World Trade Center

By Dana Schulz

Tenants at One World Trade Center who occupy floors above 65 are required to change elevators at the 64th floor. When the building opened its doors two summers ago, the Durst Organization noticed that these elevator banks became a natural mingling area, and so decided to forego plans to make the space into offices and instead keep it open as an open sky lobby. Commercial Observer got a first look at renderings of the commons designed by Gensler, whose principal and design director Tom Vecchione referred to it as "a shared piazza for the entire building." In addition to a cafe, it will offer a game room and a 180-person meeting room that can be split into two or host fitness and yoga classes.
More renderings and details ahead

Architecture And Design

October 21, 2016

The Urban Lens: Trel Brock uses double exposure to transform the cityscape into a Rorschach test

By Diane Pham

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Trel Brock redefines the city through double exposures in medium format. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Trel Brock moved to New York City nearly four decades ago and he's been photographing every angle of it since. While much of Trel's work today centers on high-end interiors (he's currently working on his third book with Rizzoli), in the past he spent his days assisting photography's upper echelon—including Herb Ritts, Bruce Weber and Eric Boman, to name a few—shooting world-famous rockstars and supermodels. But beyond the borders of high-fashion and high-society, Trel also dabbles in fine art photography. In the series he's curated for 6sqft ahead, he uses the city's landscape as a vehicle for an abstract visual exercise akin to Rorschach’s famous inkblots.
more photos here

October 20, 2016

Annabelle Selldorf will design Frick Collection renovation

By Dana Schulz

It's been almost a year and a half since the Frick Collection scrapped plans for a controversial expansion from Davis Brody Bond that would have gotten rid of the property's gated garden to make way for a six-story addition. The Times reports today, though, that the Board is moving ahead with a new version of the renovation, selecting starchitect Annabelle Selldorf from a pool of 20 firms who submitted proposals. She's already worked on museum renovations at the Neue Galerie and the Clark Art Institute in Massachusetts, and according to Frick director Ian Wardropper, "She’s somebody who has a clear vision of respect for historical buildings but at the same time has a clean, elegant, modernist aesthetic that is very much about welcoming visitors today."
Get the full scoop

Architecture And Design

October 20, 2016

Jean Nouvel’s MoMA Tower is getting the first of its intricate, diagrid skin

By Dana Schulz

News at starchitect Jean Nouvel's condominium MoMA Tower (officially called 53W53) has been relatively quiet since units hit the market just over a year ago. But CityRealty brings us an update from the Billionaires' Row construction site, where the 1,050-foot-tall, tapered tower is currently getting the first of its intricate, diagrid skin, which the architect once said will resemble blood running the veins with its nighttime lighting.
More details and views this way

October 20, 2016

A $5M price chop for the former Upper West Side mansion of Charles Schwab

By Emily Nonko

There's been a significant price drop at one of the most interesting mansions of the Upper West Side. Designed by the famous architect C.P.H. Gilbert, this 11,500-square-foot, six-story abode was occupied by moneyman and steel magnate Charles Schwab between 1914 and 1917. After that, it became the “scandalous love nest” for the mistress of industrialist George Gould. Last year the property was put up for sale asking a cool $20 million, and now it's trying its hand again with a considerably lower asking price of $14.995 million.
See more of the grand interior

October 19, 2016

Work begins on Norman Foster’s Red Hook office project, will be the continent’s largest timber structure

By Dana Schulz

After revealing plans in June for Norman Foster's first commission in Brooklyn, Thor Equities now announces that work has commenced on Red Hoek Point, the 7.7-acre waterfront office campus. The press release also brings news that the project's two buildings, totaling 818,000 square feet, will become "the largest new heavy timber structure in North America."
More details ahead

October 18, 2016

‘The Chew’ host Michael Symon selling historic West Village townhouse for $5.8M

By Annie Doge

Chef Michael Symon--co-host of "The Chew," Food Network personality, and restauranteur--picked up the narrow, turn-of-the-century townhouse at 58 Downing Street in April 2015 for $5.14 million, but just a year and a half later, he's put the West Village home back on the market, reports Curbed. He's not looking to make much of a profit, listing it for only $5.8 million, despite what the listing calls a renovation "for a contemporary lifestyle" and its plethora of historic details and stylish decor.
See the whole place

October 18, 2016

SL Green breaks ground on One Vanderbilt, NYC’s second tallest tower – see new renderings

By Diane Pham

Yesterday 6sqft brought you a time-lapse video showing an entire Midtown block being demolished to make way for the 1,401-foot supertall One Vanderbilt. Now with a cleared site—plus $1.5 billion in construction financing secured—SL Green is ready to build anew, and Tuesday morning the developer held an official groundbreaking ceremony to mark the momentous occasion.
see more here

Diego Rivera’s psychedelic Rockefeller Center mural was destroyed before it was finished, 1934

By Tracy A. Marciano

In 1932, Mexican artist Diego Rivera was commissioned by Nelson Rockefeller to add a mural to the soaring lobby of Rockefeller Center. Despite being known for his petulant temper and loyalty to Communism, Rivera was still one of the most highly sought after artists of his time, lauded for his creative genius and his detailed paintings. But politics, artistic vision, power and wealth collided in 1934 when a displeased Rockefeller had the very mural he commissioned from Rivera chiseled off the wall the night before it was to be completed.
read about the mysterious mural here

October 17, 2016

Watch the time-lapse demolition of an entire Midtown block for supertall One Vanderbilt

By Michelle Cohen

6sqft recently reported that One Vanderbilt, developer SL Green's new Midtown supertall, has secured $1.5 billion in financing, giving the green light to the 1,401-foot-tall, full-block office tower slated to rise at One Vanderbilt Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Streets directly adjacent to Grand Central Terminal. Demolition of a full block of commercial buildings next to Grand Central began a year ago to make way for the tower. Now, YIMBY brings us a time lapse video of the lengthy demolition courtesy of One Vanderbilt’s PR team.
Watch an entire block of pre-war buildings disappear

The flagship New York Public Library shelves books by size, not subject matter

Image by timetrax23

October 14, 2016

The flagship New York Public Library shelves books by size, not subject matter

By Diane Pham

With over four million research books in their possession, finding a place for each and every title has been an ongoing challenge for the New York Public Library (NYPL). First starchitect Norman Foster was brought in to help remedy the issue, but his plans for expansion were dropped when researchers realized a redesign would mean moving 1.5 million books to Jersey for an undefined amount of time; and more recently, the library unveiled a brand new $23M storage facility below Bryant Park, complete with a $2.3M "Book Train" able to zip miles of volumes across the library's 11 floors. But even with this new facility, space remains a challenge. So in hopes of increasing capacity, the NYPL has decided to abandon the Dewey Decimal System for a more space-friendly cataloging system. Yes, when it comes to sorting, subject is no longer of interest—rather, it's size that matters.
find out more here

Architecture And Design

October 14, 2016

Renderings revealed for High Line-adjacent condo on hot West Chelsea block

By Dana Schulz

West 29th Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues is quickly becoming to Chelsea what Bond Street is to Noho--a delightfully concentrated mishmash of high-profile architecture projects. Over on the west side, this one-block stretch is already home to SCDA Architects' Soori High Line with its noted private pools, Cary Tamarkin's 550 West 29th Street, and Maestro West Chelsea, a 35-story trio of rentals. CityRealty now shares a look at the block's newest project, a 10-story, 61-unit condo at 519 West 29th Street from developer Six Sigma, which is distinguished by a glass facade punctuated by rectangular balcony alcoves flanked with green walls.
More news related to the project ahead

October 14, 2016

Go ghost hunting at Mark Twain’s haunted and historic Connecticut manor

By Dana Schulz

Edgar Allan Poe may be the American writer most closely associated with all things eerie and spooky, but surprisingly, the lovable Mark Twain has a haunted past of his own. The pristinely preserved Gothic mansion in Hartford, Connecticut where Samuel Clemens lived with his family between 1874 and 1891 (and where he wrote "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer") is said to be haunted by ghosts of Twain himself, his daughter Susy who died in 1896 of meningitis, and George Griffin, a freed slave who worked for the family. And if the paranormal activity associated with these spirits wasn't enough to give you goosebumps, just take a look at the dark, ominous house itself through these haunting photos by Imgur user Reacher that give us a taste of the hair-raising home.
Creepy photos and stories ahead

Architecture And Design

October 12, 2016

Construction update: Excavation underway for Annabelle Selldorf’s Bowlmor Lanes-replacing condos

By Ondel Hylton

William Macklowe Company's 22-story 21 East 12th Street (21E12) is poised to become the tallest ground-up condominium building in Greenwich Village upon completion in 2018. The development at the southwest corner of University Place and East 12th Street replaces the Bowlmor Lanes garage building, which, due to its height and incongruent massing, ruffled the feathers of watchful neighbors and community organizations. Nevertheless, the squat, five-story structure has been razed, and site excavation is well underway for New York's maiden of modernism, Annabelle Selldorf's, square, cast-stone tower.
Find out more here

October 12, 2016

New Renderings of Rogers Partners’ residence above historic Lower East Side bank building

By Dana Schulz

At the end of last year, preservationists called on the city to landmark the Lower East Side's 1912 former bank building at the prominent corner of East Houston and Ludlow Streets. The request came after the owners revealed plans to construct a residential structure above the historic building. But despite much community opposition, they tapped Tribeca-based architects Rogers Partners to create a cantilevering, cube-like design (not unlike those we've seen of late from ODA) inspired by the work of artist Jasper Johns, who once lived and worked at the address. CityRealty now has new renderings of the 44,000-square-foot project at 225 East Houston Street, which will have 38 apartments and amenities including a roof deck, fitness center, residential lounge and terrace, bike storage, and laundry room.
Find out more

October 12, 2016

Landmarks lauds Natural History Museum expansion plan, see new renderings

By Dana Schulz

After revising its expansion plan last month to preserve more public parkland, the American Museum of Natural History had its day in front of the Landmarks Preservation Commission yesterday, and as DNAinfo reports, the agency lauded the plan for a new Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation, with chairwoman Meenakshi Srinivasan referring to it as a "stunning piece of architecture" and an "absolutely wonderful addition." In making their determination, the Commission was presented with a slew of new renderings, which show the $325 million, Jeanne Gang-designed project from various angles, as well as new views of the surrounding parkland.
More renderings and next steps

October 11, 2016

Fall getaway: Travel to the historic Inns of Aurora for an anti-Manhattan antidote

By Dana Schulz

Now that fall is in full swing, why not take a weekend getaway upstate to the Finger Lakes wine country, where the fall foliage is in all its glory and the crisp air is perfect for cozying up next to a fire. The charming town of Aurora, located on a hill on the east side of Cayuga Lake is just a five-hour drive from the city, and here you'll find the Inns of Aurora, a collection of four very different historic properties with rooms to rent and a lot of history to share.
Join us on an historic tour of the Inns of Aurora

October 10, 2016

Burn calories sitting at your desk with HOVR

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Our bodies are designed to move, yet most of us spend our days sitting at a desk, staring at a screen. But here's a new device that claims to help counter that inertia by producing unconscious movements that can help keep you fit while answering emails. While it might look like some silly exercise device being offered on a late night television informercial, HOVR promises to burn calories by creating healthy movements without mental distraction.
get fit with HOVR

October 7, 2016

Construction update: Soori High Line’s soaring ceilings and private, heated pools take shape

By Ondel Hylton

Soo K. Chan, founder of Singapore-based firm SCDA Architects, says "good architecture should move the human spirit." The practice's first New York development, a ground-up condominium named Soori High Line at 522 West 29th Street, certainly elicits a high degree of "wow," conveyed through its soaring 19-foot ceilings, equally tall windows, private heated swimming pools, and living room fireplaces. The $70 million project is a joint venture between Siras Development and Soo Chan's real estate arm Oriel. 6sqft took a tour of the still-under-construction building, where it was clear that even in its raw unfinished state, the opulence of Soori's homes is already undeniable.
See all the renderings and construction shots this way

ODA reveals renderings of Long Island City condo with inner courtyards

22-12 Jackson Avenue is the larger project to the right; 22-22 Jackson Avenue is on the left

October 7, 2016

ODA reveals renderings of Long Island City condo with inner courtyards

By Dana Schulz

ODA Architects have been on a roll across the city over the past couple years, marking their territory with their cantilevering cube-itecture. The other design element they're becoming known for is the use of inner courtyards, seen most prominently at their massive Rheingold Brewery project and Bushwick hotel. They're now incorporating both signature features at a new condo project in Long Island City at 22-12 Jackson Avenue, directly adjacent to their rental at 22-22 Jackson and across from the giant 5Pointz redevelopment site and MoMA PS1. CityRealty brings us the first look at renderings of the 175-unit, H-shaped building, which is the latest in a string of developments in Court Square.
READ MORE

October 6, 2016

FXFOWLE reveals design for $70M Statue of Liberty Museum, complete with green roof

By Dana Schulz

Four months after it was announced that FXFOWLE would be designing a new, free-standing museum for the Statue of Liberty, principal architect Nicholas Garrison has revealed renderings of his vision for the site at today's groundbreaking ceremony on Liberty Island. The $70 million project--which will be largely funded by fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg--features an angular-shaped, 26,000-square-foot building constructed of glass, granite and concrete that was inspired by its waterfront location. It'll sit across the circular plaza from the Statue and will "seemingly rise out of the ground," according to Crain's, thanks to its green roof that acts as an extension of the surrounding park.
More renderings and details this way

Architecture And Design

Developer of the world’s tallest prefab tower in Brooklyn is exiting the modular business

Image via Field Condition

October 6, 2016

Developer of the world’s tallest prefab tower in Brooklyn is exiting the modular business

By Michelle Cohen

After boasting that it had “cracked the code” on modular construction, with plans for a Brooklyn factory, developer Forest City Ratner is exiting the prefab building business, reports the New York Times. The factory at the Brooklyn Navy Yard will be sold to Roger Krulak, a former Forest City executive, along with the technology used to construct the world's tallest prefabricated steel structure, the 32-story 461 Dean Street in the Pacific Park complex in Brooklyn. Construction on the building has just been completed and 461 Dean is weeks from getting its first residents.
Find out more

Architecture And Design

October 6, 2016

Starchitect condo prices grew 39 percent in 5 years, new index reveals

By 6sqft

As part of a recent expansion of its market indices, CityRealty has pulled together a new index tracking condo prices in NYC buildings designed by starchitects. The index quantifies the extent to which buyers are willing to pay a premium for apartments in buildings designed by big-name architects such as Robert A.M. Stern, Jean Nouvel and Norman Foster.
is hiring a starchitect worth it?

Architecture And Design

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