July 9, 2015

This $8,500/Month Renovated Soho Loft Has a Bright, Summery Attitude

Here's a gorgeous, fully renovated loft at 88 Crosby Street in Soho. This top-floor space features exposed brick walls, exposed beams, high tin ceilings, hardwood floors, and even a skylight. The bright decor–which includes plenty of potted plants, hot pink sofas, and an umbrella mosaic above the bed–makes this the perfect summer escape.  It's been on the rental market since 2009 with what looks like one-year leases. And it's available now for $8,500 a month.
More pics inside
July 8, 2015

Construction Update: Robert A.M. Stern’s 220 Central Park South Begins Race into the Sky

Billionaire's Row's race into the sky continues. Two of its biggest projected selling towers are beginning to rise out of their gargantuan foundations and are rushing to claim their piece of coveted Central Park-fronting airspace. Construction of Vornado's 220 Central Park South development has an early lead against Extell Development's significantly larger Central Park Tower (formerly Nordstrom Tower) across West 58th Street. The first level of concrete and re-bar are now poking up above street level and the elevator/stairway cores are now clearly visible to pedestrian passersby.
See new images of the tower here
July 8, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 7/9-7/15

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top end of week picks for 6sqft readers! Summer jams mean we do things a little differently in the art world, assuming most of the population escapes the hot city streets each weekend. Thursday and Friday nights are the art-heavy celebrations of the art openings we love to see and be seen at. Explore the pop-color collage world of Anthony Iacono, or a real life Facebook status as performed by Katya Grokhovsky, or become part of the performance with Quinn Dukes' "Mapping Ritual." Friday it's time for the je ne sais quois, first with an exhibition and Edith Piaf's 100th birthday at Dejavu Gallery, then a free screening of a Tunisian love triangle, "Goha." If you're still around Saturday, spend the day meeting your makers at Open House New York's open studios across the city, or settle into the air conditioning of the Guggenheim and explore the wild wild world of Matthew Barney in an all-day film screening.
Get the details on all these events here
July 8, 2015

VIDEO: Travel Through History to See How Transportation Has Changed

The fact that skiing has gone from a major mode of transportation to a winter recreational activity says a lot about how getting from point A to B has changed over the course of human history. "Here to There," the latest video in the Atlantic's 10-part animated series (we previously featured an installment on housing through time), traces the history of transportation from the canoe in 8,000 B.C. to the recent debut of the hydrogen fuel-cell car. Covering more than 10,000 years in two-and-a-half minutes, this video shows that there is much more to the timeline of transportation than the switch from horses and buggies to motor vehicles.
Watch the video here
July 8, 2015

This West Village One-Bedroom with a Built-In Ice Cream Maker Is Cute Indeed

A renovation at this one-bedroom apartment, located in the West Village co-op building at 82 Charles Street, has left the unit looking downright adorable. The listing promises it to be a "perfect blend of prewar character and modern conveniences perched on one of the most bucolic blocks in the city." It's hard to argue with the location. And we like how more traditional design elements (exposed brick) are paired with some surprising modern additions (built-in ice cream maker!). It's now on the market asking $899,000.
See more of the interior
July 8, 2015

Park Slope Townhouse by Etelamaki Architecture Uses a Nondescript Facade to Stand Out

This renovation of a Park Slope townhouse by Etelamaki Architecture puts into practice the old saying "less is more." According to Contemporist, the recently completed project "maximizes the potential of a non-descript building shell, and limited budget, to create a modern, light filled home that acknowledges the building’s past, while envisioning the neighborhood’s future." Since the block is filled with a mix of early 20th century apartment buildings and newer condos, the architects didn't have to worry as much about maintaining a historic style, giving them the opportunity to create something totally new and bold. The top three floors were transformed into an owner's duplex and the ground-floor into a rental.
Get a look inside here
July 8, 2015

Over-the-Top Upper West Side Townhome Wants $30K/Month

You know how there are some things that are ahead of their time? Well this five-bedroom residence at 48 West 85th Street is not one of them. If anything, it's straight from Liberace's vision board. The 6,000-square-foot home was listed for $13.8 million a year ago, but, alas, it must not have found a buyer. Now, for $30,000 a month you can travel back in time and enjoy over-the-top furnishings like "Baccarat crystal chandeliers" and "Tiffany dishes."
More pics inside
July 8, 2015

Lawsuit Against City Wants to End Affordable Housing Allotments to Certain Communities

Currently, the city allots half of its new affordable housing stock to residents of the specific community district where the project is being built and who meet the income requirements. But the Anti-Discrimination Center says this "community preference" policy violates the 1968 Fair Housing Act, "which prohibits discrimination in housing sales, rentals and financing based on race or national origin," according to an article today in the Wall Street Journal. The New York-based group filed a suit against the city on these grounds, claiming that it adds to existing segregation patterns. If they are successful, the verdict would undoubtedly impact Mayor de Blasio's plan of adding 80,000 new affordable housing units in the next ten years.
More details ahead
July 7, 2015

Jet-Setting Fashionista’s Sprawling Tribeca Loft Shines with Bold Decor

This Tribeca loft, located at 90 Hudson Street, may be a one-bedroom unit but it's still huge. That means plenty of space for cool furniture and decor, which the current owner has definitely taken advantage of. The seller, Marika Wagle, manages merchandising and buying for designer fashion brands in New York City and also sells home decor, jewelry and clothing from her travels through India, Morocco, Turkey and Africa. That means that just because the apartment will come empty upon sale, you could still fill it with a similar design.
See the rest of the interior
July 7, 2015

Gentrification Sale: Get a Single Hand-Cut Summer French Fry for Just $8.99!

Jarritos with an $11.99 corkage fee, a hipster breakfast for $8.99? Act fast because you won't want miss out on all the great deals going on at the Washington Heights "Gentrification in Progress Sale." A row of mom and pops located along a stretch between 162nd and 163rd streets got a Williamsburg-worthy facelift on Monday as Brooklyn locals Doug Cameron and Tommy Noonan plastered storefronts with scathingly sardonic signage pointing to the area's demise. The campaign, first reported on by Vanishing NY, was created in response to the ousting of several of the block's 30-plus-year-old businesses by a new landlord in order to make way for commercial tenants willing to pay higher rents.
See more here
July 7, 2015

Before NYC’s Slave Market, Freedmen from Africa Were Allowed to Own Farmland

A stranger on horseback in 1650 riding up a road in Manhattan might have noticed black men working farmland near the Hudson River. It was not an unusual sight, and if he remarked on it at all to himself, he would have thought they were simply slaves working their masters' land. But no–these were freedmen working land they personally owned and had owned for six years. It was land in what is now the Far West Village and it had been granted to eleven enslaved men along with their freedom in 1644. In 1626, the year Manhattan was formally settled by the Dutch, these eleven African men had been rounded up in Angola and Congo and shipped to the New World to work as slaves clearing land and building fortifications. We know they were from there because the manifests of Dutch ships list them with names such as Emmanuel Angola and Simon Congo. Another of the eleven was named Willem Anthonys Portugies, suggesting that he may have been bought and sold in Portugal before reaching his final destination in New Amsterdam.
How did these men get the right to own land?
July 7, 2015

Norman Foster’s Next Condo Tower Will Be 900 Feet; How to Shed Affordable Tenants

Jennifer Lawrence continues her search for a NYC pad, now with Chris Martin in tow. [NYDN] Much to locals’ dismay, reports confirm that Norman Foster’s new condo tower planned for Sutton Place will indeed be 900 feet tall. [NYDN] Rising mortgage rates could block millennials from buying. [AOL] How to get rid of rent-stabilized tenants and make a killing. [The […]

July 7, 2015

VIDEO: Port Authority Was Considered a ‘Milestone of the Century’ When It Opened

When Port Authority bus terminal opened in 1950 it was considered "among the miracles of transport and the milestones of the century." Though we're pretty sure this sentiment is entirely lost today, it's still interesting to see how shiny and new Port Authority was regarded as 65 years ago. This video was a promotional newsreel for the terminal, and it notes that Port Authority wasn't just built to keep buses off the busy Manhattan streets, but because "the states of New York and New Jersey also wanted to make life pleasanter for the traveler."
Watch the video here
July 7, 2015

Epiphyte Lab’s Stripy Hsu House Is Designed to Mimic the Sky and Seasons

The Hsu House’s story began when Epiphyte Lab's Kevin Pratt was teaching with his studio co-founder Dana Cupkova at Cornell University. The pair were conducting a lecture and in the middle of class they noticed that a stranger had dropped in. The man sitting in the audience was Tony Hsu, a soon-to-be client that had been planning an ambitious, ultra-sustainable home but was in need some assistance. Once past the formalities, the trio quickly went about designing a unique retreat that not only catches the eye with its unconventional form and materiality, but also boasts tons of energy-efficient features like heat storage and rainwater harvesting.
Learn more about this home
July 7, 2015

Kimberly Peck’s All-White Union Square Loft Is Surprisingly Perfect for a Modern Family

Normally, white is a color families shy away from in fear of kid-related accidents. But daring architect Kimberly Peck has brushed off the age-old design restriction in this Union Square loft renovation that makes white the central color. Addressing the growing family's needs, she carved a second bedroom and bathroom out of the loft's 1,375 square feet, in addition to enlarging the kitchen. Working with the space's characteristic wooden floors and exposed brick walls, Peck created a space that's stylish, yet still homey.
See the renovation here
Pitch a story icon Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:
July 7, 2015

Rent Topher Grace’s Stylish West Village Loft for $16,000

Actor Topher Grace of "That '70s Show" fame is shaking up his real estate game. After selling his Los Angeles home for $1.69 million, he's now looking to rent out his stylish West Village condo, according to the Daily News. This also comes on the heels of Grace's recent engagement to actress and model Ashley Hinshaw. He bought the two-bedroom, full-floor loft at 59 Bank Street for $2.2 million in 2006, but has been renting it out over the past several years, starting at $14,000 in 2011 and now going for $16,000.
Take a look around
July 7, 2015

$4M Live/Work Tribeca Loft Offers Endless Options and an Artsy Outdoor Space

Here's a $3.995 million Tribeca loft with so much flexibility you can practically do whatever you want with it. The 2,833-square-foot duplex condo is a former art gallery that offers a perfect live/work opportunity. There's also a separate entrance for retail space on the ground floor (currently being used as a photography studio), as well as an artsy outdoor space with a charming European flair and funky glass floor. So when we say the options are endless, we actually mean it.
More pics inside
July 6, 2015

Katie Holmes and Suri Renting a $25,000 Penthouse in Chelsea

Katie Holmes loves Chelsea. The Post reports that the actress has taken up residence in a sparkling new penthouse at 201 West 17th Street, paying $25,000 a month for the luxurious digs. Back in 2012, Holmes and daughter Suri called a $12,500-a-month rental at the Chelsea Mercantile their refuge while the actress took steps towards divorcing then-husband Tom Cruise. Although Holmes' new penthouse doesn't come with a secret entrance to Whole Foods, the picture perfect pad definitely makes up for the lack of organics with its stunning views and ample outdoor space.
Inside Katie's new penthouse
July 6, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Inhabitat’s Jill Fehrenbacher on Raising Two Kids on the Lower East Side

When you think about family-friendly neighborhoods, the last one to come to mind is probably the Lower East Side. But Inhabitat.com's Jill Fehrenbacher is here to tell you that this downtown stretch is more than just a breeding ground for bros and getting bombed. A LES resident for more than a decade, Jill moved into the area looking for cheap rents as a student but has stuck around to see it transform into both a cultural destination and a diverse community-driven neighborhood fueled by much more than just a bar scene. Ahead, Jill shares her thoughts on what makes this neighborhood such a special one for raising kids (she's got two boys of her own) and her NYC success story of hitting it big as the founder of one of the world's most visited design websites.
Our interview with Jill here
July 6, 2015

New York Was the First City to Dial 9-1-1 for Emergencies

Around the country, little children are taught to dial 9-1-1 in case of an emergency as soon as they know their ABCs and 123s. But, believe it or not, this universal number hasn't even been around for 50 years. It was first implemented right here in New York City in July of 1968. Before that, New Yorkers had to call the police department's main phone line at 440-1234. At first, it was only for police calls; it wasn't until 1970 that the three-digit number also reached the fire department and ambulance services.
READ MORE
July 6, 2015

VIDEO: Airbnb Is Just a Charity for Struggling Real Estate Moguls, Says New Ad

The city's fight against Airbnb continues to rage on, and this latest video created by ShareBetter jabs at the home-sharing company's gross neglect when it comes to preserving much-needed affordable housing. Satirically dubbed "Save the Moguls," the 60-second spot likens the multi-billion dollar powerhouse to a charity trying to being relief to the anguish that real estate bigwigs face when it comes to sustaining their extravagant lifestyles. "What would you do if you saw a real estate mogul right in front of you, all alone, clearly suffering?" the video posits. "They need your help to keep the sharing economy alive. By renting out just one of the hundreds of apartments and homes they've listed on Airbnb, you can join the fight against affordable housing."
Watch the video here
July 6, 2015

Gambaccini Residence Rises from the Ashes of a Burnt Log Home

A fire marks an end, but also a new beginning, so when a wooden vacation home was completely burnt out, its owners took the event as a fresh start. The Gambaccini Residence by Jaklitsch/Gardner Architects stands on a clearing within a heavily wooded plot upstate in Columbia County, New York. As the whole new concept was based on "dematerialization," the shelter is made from only a few planar elements as if hiding for protection inside the landscape.
Learn more about this dematerialized home
July 6, 2015

Studio Museum in Harlem Reveals New 125th Street Building; Remembering Coney Island’s Elephant Hotel

ShelfPack is a genius suitcase that pulls out into a series of collapsible shelves, which means you never have to actually unpack. [Travel + Leisure] The Studio Museum in Harlem reveals renderings for its new $122 million David Adjaye-designed building on 125th Street. [NYT] Check out the New York Hall of Science’s renovated Great Hall, designed to […]

July 6, 2015

Call Chelsea’s Historic Samuel Turner House Your Home for $17.95M

Okay history buffs, here's your chance to own the elegant former home of Reverend Dr. Samuel Turner, who was one of the head professors at the nearby General Theological Seminary. He built the house at 440 West 22nd Street in 1836 to match the merchant-class residences popping up in Chelsea around this time, and he lived there until he passed away of typhoid fever in 1861. When owner Michael Minick purchased the home in 1993, it had been subjected to years of neglect, but Minick lovingly restored it back to its Greek Revival glory, while preserving its turn of the 20th century Queen Anne exterior facelift. It's now available for the first time in over 20 years for $17,950,000.
Take a look around
July 6, 2015

Former Tribeca Hotel Could Be Transformed into a Grand Single-Family Home

This five-story brick townhouse, located at 142 Watts Street in Tribeca, is rather unique. Constructed in 1886, the building has served as a tenement building, a hotel, and apartments. (There was also a diner on the ground floor in the 1940s.) It was last purchased 30 years ago by the Capsouto brothers, longtime investors and restaurateurs in the neighborhood. 35 years ago the brothers opened a restaurant at 451 Washington Street called Capsouto Freres, a mainstay eatery that shuttered after damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. Now it looks like the brothers have decided to get rid of some of their real estate in the neighborhood, listing 142 Watts Street for $12.25 million.
Hear more about the story of this property
July 6, 2015

Royal Letdown: Queen Elizabeth Actually Won’t Be Coming to NYC

A few weeks ago, various media outlets reported that Queen Elizabeth had bought a $7.9 million apartment at 50 United Nations Plaza. City records listed the buyer of the three-bedroom, 3,000-square-foot residence as “Her Majesty the Queen in Right of New Zealand.” But as the Post informs us today, the royal family will not be taking up residence in NYC after all, as the actual buyer is the New Zealand government’s UN ambassador.
More details on the transaction
July 5, 2015

Live Lakeside for Less in This $400k Bungalow-Style Round House

It's obvious why this was once called the Blueberry Hill House. This 2,178-square-foot eclectic round house is the quirkiest residence in the Skaneateles Lake area thanks to its bold blue exterior and hut-like shape. With four bedrooms and three bathrooms, this house makes for the perfect forest hideaway, whether you use it as a vacation home or if you want to make your stay in Skaneateles permanent. Best of all, you can live your blueberry bungalow dreams for a very affordable $400,000.
Take a look around the house here
July 4, 2015

June’s 10 Most-Read Stories and This Week’s Features

June’s 10 Most-Read Stories Own a Mansion with Celebrity History on a Private Island Overlooking NYC for $11M Beastie Boy Mike D’s Brilliant Brooklyn Townhouse Can Be Yours for $5.7M Queen Elizabeth Comes to NYC: Royal Family Picks up $8M Apartment at 50 UN Plaza Winston Marshall, Banjoist for Mumford & Sons, Buys $3.2M Nolita […]

July 3, 2015

Rent a Charming Upstate Barn Home Beautifully Renovated by Local Artisans

Located in Tivoli, a village in Dutchess County, this charming rustic barn has everything you would want in a home: There are cozy wooden interiors, it's surrounded by gardens, it has its own pond, there's small yoga deck right next to a stream, and there's even a cozy deck at the back. While you may think a home like this will forever be out of your reach, think again. This beauty is up for rent, and it's just two hours north of the city.
Learn more about this charming wooden barn
July 2, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 7/2-7/8

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers which start tonight! Of course, July 4th is on everyone's mind this weekend. If you're not into battling the crowds along the East River to see the fireworks (of if you're not lucky enough to have east-side roof access!), we've rounded up some patriotic alternatives for festive Independence Day fun, including the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, a ride aboard a replica 1780 sailboat, and music and fireworks at the Seaport. If you're going to be out on the Island, be sure to check out the ArtHamptons fair. And before we celebrate our own independence, let's not forget about our neighbors to the north; an exhibit at Westbeth marks Canada Day with pieces from Canadian artists. Next, shift gears to Copenhagen, as this month's #MidnightMoment in Times Square will transport New Yorkers to the Danish city. There's also the "Summer Show" with Jorge Pardo, Jon Pylypchuk, and Dirk Skreber at the Petzel Gallery, free public hours at the Judd Foundation and a giant installation art exhibit at the Knockdown Center.
Get the details on all these events here
July 2, 2015

Heidi Klum Settles on a $70K/Month West Village Rental for the Summer

It was recently reported that Heidi Klum was eyeing this 3.5-acre $11 million private island off Manhattan as her next retreat, but it looks like the supermodel has decided to slum it in the West Village instead. The Post reports that Klum will be renting out a 7,200-square-foot Bob and Cortney Novogratz creation located at 400 West Street through the summer. The home is not an unfamiliar spot for the model who has shot hoops, hot tubbed, and made pizza at the glamorous property when she rented it in previous years.
Have a look inside her glamorous summer home
July 2, 2015

A Hungarian Princess Once Kept a Pet Lion Cub at the Plaza

Last week, we explored the history of the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery, America's oldest and largest cemetery of its kind. We mentioned that beloved pets laid to rest in this upstate burial ground include much more than just cats and dogs. One of the most notable unconventional pets is Goldfleck, a lion cub who lived the life of royalty in the Plaza Hotel. Goldfleck belonged to Princess Elisabeth Vilma Lwoff-Parlaghy of Hungary. She was a well-known portrait painter with a love for animals. After visiting New York twice, she moved to the city permanently in 1909, taking up residence in a 14-room suite on the third floor of the Plaza. She had seen a cute lion cub at the Ringling Brothers circus, but when she asked to buy him, the circus owners refused. They did, however, agree to sell him to Daniel E. Sickles, a Civil War hero whose portrait the Princess had just painted. He immediately turned the cub over to Princess Elisabeth.
Find out the rest of the story
July 2, 2015

JFK Airport Gets an Awesome Open-Air Roofdeck; Joan Rivers’ Penthouse Sells for Ask

An UES woman found apartment hunting so stressful, she gave up her search and stayed in her over-priced studio. [NYT] Joan Rivers’ opulent apartment has sold for $28 million to a Middle Eastern buyer. [NYDN] NYCHA is looking for bids from developers interested in building affordable apartments. [NYDN] Tribeca Cinemas has closed down and the building is now […]

July 2, 2015

Upstate Dutch Colonial Has a Pool and Almost Two Acres, All for $675k

We're going to venture out to the countryside today to visit a classic Dutch Colonial home in historic Quaker Hill, a hamlet in Pawling, NY. If you're looking for the kind of privacy that can only come from being on a 1.81-acre lot, along with easy access to the city, it doesn't get much better than this. The four-bedroom home offers original details like hardwood floors and exposed beams, along with sprawling countryside views and a pool house. And, are you sitting down? It's only $675,000. Boy, things sure are different outside the city.
Have a look around
July 2, 2015

Cute Cobble Hill Condo with Fun Pops of Pink Asks $800k

The listing calls this 800-square-foot condo a studio, but given its spacious duplex layout, we think it functions more like a one-bedroom. Located at 473 Hicks Street in Cobble Hill, the apartment puts a contemporary spin on its classic bones. The huge, geometric bookshelves, translucent kitchen stools, and funky bedroom wallpaper all elevate the home from a boring box to a designer-worthy pad. But what especially draws us in is the subtle use of pink, which doesn't read girly, but rather sophisticated and fun.
See the rest here
July 1, 2015

Get to Know Chinatown Through These Iconic Cultural, Gastronomic and Architectural Spots

Back in March, we took a look at how Chinatown is predicted to undergo rapid changes within the next decade, transforming it into another haven for hipsters and real estate developers. As of right now, these changes are hard to see–luxury condos like Hester Gardens stand alone among the array of colorful shops and signs covered in Chinese characters. In fact, a past poll shows that readers are equally divided on Chinatown's future. As with all gentrifying neighborhoods, one of residents' biggest fears is that the neighborhood will lose the cultural characteristics that make it unique. With this in mind, we're taking stock of the iconic places that make Chinatown what it is. We've highlighted some of the neighborhood's best restaurants and shops (think Economy Candy and Joe's Shanghai), along with a few standout structures (the largest Buddhist temple in New York City, to name just one) that make this neighborhood unlike any other in the city.
See which places made the list here
July 1, 2015

Newly Listed $3.6M Residence at the Dakota Appears Untouched by Time

If Lauren Bacall and Roberta Flack's Dakota homes are out of your budget, fix your eyes on this splendid apartment that has just been placed on the market for $3.6 million. This understated beauty is one that seems to have withstood the test of time, maintaining all the stunning details unique to its storied address. And with two bedrooms, incredible 14-foot ceilings (yes, they're taller than both Flack's and Bacall's) and south-facing windows flooding the home with light, even though it might not carry the same star cachet as the others, we're sure you wouldn't turn down a chance to sashay across its immaculate wood floors.
More photos inside the historic apartment here
July 1, 2015

NYC Makes Up 5 Percent of the Nation’s Property Value

We know New York City is ridiculously expensive, but what about its property values? Because of the city's confusing "market value" system, true property values are often grossly underestimated. To provide a more accurate look, the data buffs over at Metrocosm have put together these visually telling cartograms of real property values in NYC, substituting land area for total property value. The maps not only compare values in New York with those throughout the rest of the country, but they also look at how property values are concentrated within the five boroughs. The data reveals some striking facts. New York City makes up a whopping 5 percent of the nation's property value, coming in at $1.5 trillion. When you single out Manhattan's $733 billion, it could be the 14th most valuable state in the country. The Upper East Side, which occupies less than one square mile, has $96 billion in housing value–more than entire states like New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming and Alaska.
More findings, maps, and graphs ahead
July 1, 2015

432 Park Unveils Model Unit; Renderings for Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 Condos

The model unit at 432 Park is unveiled on the 38th floor of the almost-completed building. [TRD] Developers secure a $725 million loan for their supertall and super-skinny tower 111 West 57th Street. [Crain’s] Renderings revealed for Brooklyn Bridge Park’s controversial Pier 6 condos, designed by ODA Architecture. [Gothamist] A ten-story condo will rise on the […]

July 1, 2015

GRADE’s Elegant Rustic Woodland Retreat Is Built for a Novelist

When a novelist client called up GRADE to design an upstate woodland retreat, the NYC-based architects knew it had to be elegant, rustic and also very tranquil. Following these guidelines, they erected the Ridge House, a home located on a leafy Philipstown plot that follows the ridge line of the Hudson River Valley. With comfortable, cozy spaces and walls lined with books, this home is nothing short of inspirational.
Inside this literary retreat
July 1, 2015

Wave Cabinet by Sebastian Errazuriz Opens and Closes in One Fluid Motion

Sebastian Errazuriz is one of the most diverse designers around. Not only does he create quirky, functional furniture like this spiky-skinned chest, but he also comes up with unique public art works such as last year's giant golden cow piñata and the more recent yawning video installation in Times Square. His most recent thought-provoker is the Wave Cabinet, a furniture piece that opens and closes in one fluid motion. Made from lacquered baltic birch, steel, and glass, the "functional sculpture" can open in various movements thanks to 100 linked slats, each of which pulls on the following one like a paper fan.
Watch a video of the cabinet in action

Our Mission

More than just current events, here you'll learn about the places, people, and ideas that are shaping your city.