VIA 57 WEST at 625 West 57th Street
A few blocks from the parade of starchitect supertalls going up along 57th Street in Midtown, an experiment in typology is under construction. This will be the first New York project from the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), a firm started in Copenhagen that has built many critically acclaimed projects worldwide with the firm's emphasis on addressing site and program with innovative solutions through form. While other projects nearby are locked in an arms race of height and flashy facades, W57 seeks a revolution in typology that has a significant impact on the inhabitants of the building and challenges the catalog of types typical to Manhattan.
BIG was approached by the Durst Organization, a firm known for its innovative and sustainable portfolio of projects, to propose a design for a mid rise building on the Far West Side of Manhattan. Inspired by the classic Copenhagen courtyard block typology at the architectural scale and its urban scaled counterpart, the iconic Central Park at the heart of the city, the firm proposed a mash up of a New York skyscraper with a courtyard, which they have called a "courtscraper."
Southeast corner of W57 (left) and the Helena (right) from West 57th Street.
The rectangular site occupies about three quarters of a block fronting the West Side Highway and the Hudson River and is adjacent to another Durst tower, the Helena. BIG started with a rectangular block with a centrally located courtyard that is exactly the same proportions as its inspiration, Central Park. The northeast corner of the block is then pulled upwards to an elevation of 470 feet to transform the low rise block into a tapering pyramid-like tower. Not only does this allow for spectacular views of the waterfront and the courtyard green space for its inhabitants, the sloped form also preserves waterfront views for the Helena which is situated south of the building's peak. Secondarily, the building's unconventional form also allows for a multitude of readings depending on your location. From West 58th street, the northeast corner reads like a slender tower, while views from the waterfront and West 57th Street reveal a broad pyramid form.
Southwest corner from West 57th Street.
The exterior envelope of the building employs two main strategies: a sloped wall on the south and west street front, and a herringbone pattern of bay windows along the north and east facades. With the sloped southwest wall, BIG seeks to merge the ideas of wall and roof, while adding slots for outdoor terraces adjacent to individual units. At the peak of the tower, mechanical elements are housed and concealed by an extension of the sloped facade that incorporates the terrace slots as vents for machinery. The herringbone strategy at the north allows for each unit to have a view to the waterfront which would not be possible with a conventional flush curtain wall. This strategy is also employed on the courtyard face to direct views southward along the waterfront.
Southeast corner from West 57th Street.
Lobby entry along the east facade.
Inside, the building will house 709 rental units and 45,000 square feet of commercial retail space. Entry to the lobby is off of the east, in an open space between the building and the Helena. A grand stair is centrally located in the lobby and brings residents up to the courtyard space, while sheltering the mail room tucked underneath. The courtyard's landscape design will employ a gradient of plantings to evoke a range of spaces, from a meadow to a shaded forest. In addition to the large central courtyard, amenities for the residents include a basketball court, pool, gym, cinema room and golf simulator.
The grand stair in the lobby, leading to the central courtyard.
Looking west from the eastern edge of the courtyard.
The courtyard's north exterior wall in progress.
Courtyard facade detail.
Typical residential corridor mockup.
Residential corridor wall covering detail.
View from a corner window along the north facade.
Looking west from an outdoor terrace.
Looking south from an outdoor terrace on the second floor.
Facade detail.
View of the sloped facade's structure.
Looking south from an outdoor terrace.
View of the sloped facade's structure and window wall under construction.
Window wall installation on the south facade.
South facade.
South facade in the morning sun.
South facade in the afternoon sun.
The mechanical enclosure structure that forms the peak.
Looking south from the peak structure.
Looking south from the peak structure.
Looking north from the peak structure.
Southwest corner from the Hudson River Greenway.
Looking north from Riverside Park.
West facade from Hudson River Greenway.
Northwest corner from Hudson River Greenway.
Northwest corner from 12th Avenue.
North facade.
North facade detail.
North facade detail.
Northeast corner from West 58th Street..
While elsewhere in the city architecture will continue to vie for the claims to being the tallest, BIG has proven with this project that size is not the only measure of architectural impact. Long after we forget which tower won the height race in a given year or sold its penthouse for the most money, BIG's courtscraper will resonate in the history of New York architecture and its innovative strategies will impact future projects around the city.
North facade from West 62nd Street.
Architects: BIG (Design Architects), SLCE Architects (Architects of Record); Developer: The Durst Organization; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Midtown West, New York, NY; Completion: 2016.
Hunter's Point South Commons and Hunter's Point South Crossing
Recently, I was given a tour of the phase one towers for the Hunter's Point South development in Queens. The joint venture between Related, Monadnock, and Phipps Houses is the first phase of a long term project to significantly increase the amount of affordable housing available to residents of New York. Hunter's Point South Commons and Hunter's Point South Crossing, soon to finish construction and opens their doors to the first tenants, will bring 925 units of affordable housing to the Queens waterfront. Notifications to winning applicants of the housing lottery have begun as of February.
Exterior wall installation has completed on both towers by SHoP Architects and Ismael Leyva Architects. Hunter's Point South Commons features fritted stripes and orange accents on the PTAC units and vertical fins of its curtain wall. Hunter's Point South Crossing features a combination of light and dark glass with blue accents on the spandrel glass.
Inside, both towers are progressing towards a previously stated goal of opening to tenants this spring. Installation of kitchen and bath appliances and cabinetry is ongoing, as well as floor installation and painting of walls throughout.
Approaching the East River Ferry terminal at Hunter's Point South.
Hunter's Point South Park pavilion (right) and Hunter's Point South Commons and Hunter's Point South Crossing (left).
Hunter's Point South Commons (left) and Hunter's Point South Crossing (right) from the Oval Green Playing Field.
Hunter's Point South Commons (left) and Hunter's Point South Crossing (right) from Hunter's Point South Park.
Queens West (left) and Hunter's Point South (right) from the pier at Gantry Plaza State Park.
West facade of Hunter's Point South Commons.
Southwest corner of Building Hunter's Point South Commons.
Facade detail on Building Hunter's Point South Commons's southwest corner.
Facade detail on Hunter's Point South Commons's west facade.
Southeast corner of Building Hunter's Point South Commons.
Northeast corner of Hunter's Point South Commons.
Northwest corner of Hunter's Point South Commons from Gantry Plaza State Park.
Hunter's Point South Commons (right) from Gantry Plaza State Park.
Kitchen and entry of a unit in Hunter's Point South Commons.
View of the Manhattan skyline from a unit in Hunter's Point South Commons.
South facade of Hunter's Point South Commons from the lower podium rooftop terrace.
Hunter's Point South Crossing from the lower podium rooftop terrace of Hunter's Point South Commons.
View of the Manhattan skyline from a podium terrace on Hunter's Point South Commons.
View of the Manhattan skyline from a podium terrace on Hunter's Point South Commons.
Plant bed troughs for the future roof garden on a rooftop terrace of Hunter's Point South Commons.
Detail of south facade of Hunter's Point South Commons.
Detail of west facade of Hunter's Point South Commons.
South facade of Hunter's Point South Commons (left) and the towers of Queens West (right).
Detail of facade on Hunter's Point South Commons.
View of the Manhattan skyline from a corner unit in Hunter's Point South Commons.
Manhattan skyline and Queens West waterfront from the tower roof of Hunter's Point South Commons.
The piers of Gantry Plaza State Park from the tower roof of Hunter's Point South Commons.
Manhattan skyline from the tower roof of Hunter's Point South Commons.
South facade of Hunter's Point South Commons.
Southwest corner of the Hunters Point Campus (center) adjacent to Hunter's Point South Crossing (right).
Southeast corner of Hunter's Point South Crossing.
Southeast corner of Hunter's Point South Crossing.
Detail of the entry canopy on Hunter's Point South Crossing.
Future lobby of Hunter's Point South Crossing.
Column detail in the lobby.
Concierge wall detail in the lobby.
North facade of Hunter's Point South Crossing.
Detail of the north tower facade of Hunter's Point South Crossing.
Northwest corner of Hunter's Point South Crossing with Hunters Point Campus (foreground).
Detail of the northwest corner of the tower on Hunter's Point South Crossing.
Detail of Hunter's Point South Crossing's exterior wall.
Detail of Hunter's Point South Crossing's exterior wall.
View of the Manhattan skyline and Hunters Point South park from Hunter's Point South Crossing.
Detail of exterior wall of Hunter's Point South Crossing.
View of the lower terrace from a corner unit in Hunter's Point South Crossing.
View of the Manhattan skyline and Hunter's Point South Commons from a corner unit in Hunter's Point South Crossing.
Lower terrace of Hunter's Point South Crossing.
View of Hunters Point South (right) and the Manhattan skyline (left) from the Pulaski Bridge.
Architects: SHoP Architects and Ismael Leyva Architects; Developers: Related, Phipps Houses and Monadnock Construction; Construction: Monadnock Construction; Program: Residential; Location: Long Island City, Queens, NY; Completion: 2015.
City Point - Phase Two
Exterior wall installation is progressing at COOKFOX's City Point phase two towers. Phase Two includes a 19-story, 225,000 square foot affordable housing tower clad in a unitized metal panel system and a 30-story, 335,000 square foot market-rate housing tower clad in a unitized terra cotta panel system. The design of the taller tower features a stepped form with setbacks at floors 5,11,18, and 24. In total, the two towers will bring 690 residential units to the neighborhood when completed.
A podium with 660,000 square feet of retail is also included in phase two of the project. Tenants for the retail portion will include Century 21, CityTarget, Alamo Drafthouse, various other smaller scale shops, and a food market. A central street will run through the ground floor retail and allow a public connection between Flatbush Avenue and Gold Street.
Phase Three will be developed later and would include a third tower, the tallest of the development, for office and residential.
City Point Phase One (foreground) completed and Phase Two (background) under construction, from Fulton Street.
City Point Phase One (foreground) completed and Phase Two (background) under construction, from Fulton Street.
City Point Phase One (right) completed and Phase Two (left) under construction, from Albee Square West.
West facade of Phase Two from Albee Square West.
West facade of Phase Two from Albee Square West.
The northwest corner of Phase Two from Albee Square West.
The northeast corner of Phase Two from Flatbush Avenue.
East facade of Phase Two from Flatbush Avenue.
East facade of Phase Two from University Place.
Detail of the east facades of the Phase Two towers.
Southeast corner from Flatbush Avenue.
Looking north on Flatbush Avenue.
Looking north on Flatbush Aveune from Barclays Center.
Architects: COOKFOX Architects; Developers: Acadia Realty Trust, Washington Square Partners; Program: Retail, Residential; Location: Downtown Brooklyn, NY; Completion: 2016.
CUMC Medical and Graduate Education Building
Curtain wall installation has begun on the "Study Cascade" section of Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Gensler's 14-story building for the Columbia University Medical College. The more normative northern half of the building has been almost completely clad with its exterior wall, a gradient of transparent and opaque white glass panels. Installation of the more expressive, transparent curtain wall on the "Study Cascade" has begun on the fourth floor at the southeast corner. The varying levels of transparency of the facade serves as an expression of the functional diagram of the building, where work spaces are located in the more opaque northern portion of the building while spaces for casual interaction occur in the transparent, free form "Study Cascade."
Looking north on Haven Avenue.
Southeast corner from Haven Avenue.
Southeast corner from Haven Avenue.
East façade from Haven Avenue.
East façade from West 171st Street.
Detail of "Study Cascade."
South façade.
Detail of the "Study Cascade."
Southwest corner.
Southwest corner.
Northeast corner from Haven Avenue.
Architects: Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Gensler; Program: Education; Location: Washington Heights, New York, NY; Completion: 2016.
205 East 92nd Street
Superstructure continues to rise at Handel Architect's 388-foot tower in the Yorkville neighborhood on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The 36-story, 230-unit tower has surpassed the seventh floor, completing the structure for the seven-story podium which houses an outpost of the Windward School, an Equinox gym, and other residential amenities. Related's mid block tower is situated behind a two-story building that fronts Third Avenue, ensuring good western views. Renderings indicate a brick and glass facade in keeping with most of the towers constructed in the neighborhood. This tower joins several others by SHoP, ODA and DDG that have been announced for the Upper East Side in anticipation of the opening of the Second Avenue subway line towards the end of the decade.
Northwest corner from Third Avenue.
Southwest corner from Third Avenue.
Southwest corner from East 92nd Street.
Southeast corner from East 92nd Street.
Southeast corner from East 92nd Street.
East facade of the podium.
Northeast corner from East 93rd Street.
Northwest corner from East 93rd Street.
Looking south on Third Avenue at East 94th Street.
Architects: Handel Architects; Developer: Related; Program: Residential, Education; Location: Upper East Side, New York, NY; Completion: 2016.
133 Greenwich Street
Superstructure continues to rise at Danny Forster Design Studio's 133 Greenwich Street, a future Courtyard Marriott hotel located just south of the World Trade Center site. The concrete structure of the 30-story, 356 feet tall tower has reached the 17th floor, surpassing the half way milestone to topping out. Installation of the window wall system, where window units sit on the slab rather than hung in front as with curtain wall, also started on the lower podium floors at level three and four. The architect's website indicates a fall 2015 completion date.
Northwest corner.
West façade.
Southwest corner of the tower.
South façade of the podium.
Southwest corner.
Window wall installation at the southwest corner of the podium.
Architects: Danny Forster Design Studio; Program: Hospitality; Location: Lower Manhattan, New York, NY; Completion: 2015.
Greenpoint Landing
There are signs of construction progress at the first site in the Greenpoint Landing mega project, 21 Commercial Street. The low rise structure will house 93 affordable units in a brick and metal clad, 6-story building fronting Commercial Street at the intersection of Franklin Street. Steel for the ground floor is now rising above the construction fence clad in artwork by local artist Greg Lamarche.
Eventually, the waterfront mega project will include 10 towers and about 5,000 units, over 400 of which will be permanently affordable. Also included in the development will be a waterfront park from James Corner Field Operations and a K-8 public school on the corner of Franklin and Dupont Street.
Aerial view of the Greenpoint waterfront.
Detail view of the site of 21 Commercial Street.
Looking north to 21 Commercial Street from Franklin Street.
Southeast corner of 21 Commercial Street from Clay Street.
South elevation of 21 Commercial Street.
Southwest corner of 21 Commercial Street.
Architects: Handel Architects; Developers: Greenpoint Landing Associates (Park Tower Group); Program: Residential, Retail, Education, Park; Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY.
100 E 53
Construction has reached above ground at Foster + Partners' 100 East Fifty Third Street, a residential tower adjacent to the iconic Seagram Building in Midtown East. The 61-story, 94-unit tower has been in the planning stages since 2007 when the project included a Shangri-La hotel. When the tower was resuscitated after the recession the hotel was scrapped but the project still includes a two story restaurant and a pool on the ninth floor. The design of the exterior wall features a pleated glass curtain wall.
Southeast corner from Lexington Avenue.
Southeast corner from Lexington Avenue.
East elevation from Lexington Avenue.
Northeast corner from Lexington Avenue.
Looking west from East 53rd Street.
Northeast corner from the subway entrance concourse.
Architects: Foster + Partners (Design Architects), SLCE Architects (Executive Architects); Interior Design: William T. Georgis; Owners: RFR, Vanke; Developers: RFR, Hines; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: East Midtown, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
World Trade Center Site
Construction continues at the World Trade Center site, as 3 World Trade Center restarts and the transit hub races to finish by year's end. Richard Roger's 80-story, 2.8 million-square-foot office and retail tower secured its financing late last year and steel has started to rise at the site. The tower should wrap up sometime in 2018, leaving only Foster's 2 World Trade Center, 5 World Trade Center, and the arts center as the remaining elements of the site not yet started construction. Tenants have begun to move in to 1 World Trade Center, which opened to them in November of last year. The observation deck at the city's tallest tower is slated to open in the spring of this year. Meanwhile, the transit hub topped out in late November of last year and hopes to open for passengers sometime this year. Given the state of the construction site, the opening date seems a bit optimistic, especially due to the bevy of delays that have plagued the project. Lastly, work continues on the elevated Liberty Park at the south end of the site, which will also be home to Calatrava's replacement of St. Nicholas Church that was lost on 9/11.
World Trade Center Transit Hub with 1 World Trade Center (behind).
World Trade Center Transit Hub with 1 World Trade Center (behind).
World Trade Center Transit Hub (right), 3 World Trade Center (center), and 4 World Trade Center (left) from Church Street.
East facade of 3 World Trade Center from Church Street.
Southeast corner of 3 World Trade Center from Church Street.
Southeast corner of the podium of 4 World Trade Center from Church Street.
Southeast corner of 4 World Trade Center from Church Street.
South facade of 4 World Trade Center from Liberty Street.
South facade of One World Trade Center.
West facade of 4 World Trade Center.
Southwest corner of 3 World Trade Center from the World Trade Center Memorial.
View of the World Trade Center site from Brookfield Place.
Liberty Park under construction.
Architects: Adamson Associates (2 WTC, 3 WTC, 4 WTC), Davis Brody Bond (WTC Memorial and Museum), Foster + Partners (2 WTC), Maki and Associates (4 WTC), Michael Arad with Peter Walker and Partners (WTC Memorial), Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (3 WTC), Santiago Calatrava (WTC Transit Hub), Snohetta (WTC Museum), SOM (1 WTC, 7 WTC), Studio Daniel Libeskind (WTC master plan);
Engineers: WSP Cantor Seinuk (1 WTC, 2 WTC, 3 WTC);
Developers: Silverstein Properties, Inc. (2 WTC, 3 WTC, 4 WTC, 7 WTC), The Durst Organization (1 WTC), The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (1 WTC, WTC Transportation Hub, WTC Memorial and Museum, Retail);
Program: Office, Retail, Memorial, Museum, Transit, Park;
Completion: 1 WTC (2015), 2 WTC (TBD), 3 WTC (2018), 4 WTC (2013), 7 WTC (2006), WTC Transit Hub (2015), WTC Memorial (2011), WTC Museum (2014).
One Vandam
Much of the limestone and glass curtain wall has been installed at BKSK Architects' One Vandam on the boundary of the SoHo and Hudson Square neighborhoods. The 14-story, 25-unit residential condo tower features an exterior envelop comprised of three elements: metal, glass, and limestone panels from a quarry in Alabama. A randomized pattern is created by three unit types: glass, limestone panels on the exterior, and a back-pan limestone panel that sits behind the glass. Among the panels still to be installed are those at the top floor penthouse, including the triple height stair of Penthouse A, visible in the center of the west facade's top three floors. Construction should be complete sometime later this year.
Southwest corner from Avenue of the Americas.
Southwest corner from Avenue of the Americas.
West facade from Avenue of the Americas.
Northwest corner from Avenue of the Americas.
Architects: BKSK Architects, Studio DB; Developers: Quinlan Development Group, Tavros Development Partners; Program: Residential; Location: SoHo, New York, NY; Completion: 2015.
SLCE Architects · Long Island City · 2025