A Closer Look at How XOCO 325’s Oh-So-Cool Melting Facade Was Created

October 23, 2015

Earlier, we gave you a look at DDG’s rough-cut, bluestone facade at 12 Warren Street in Tribeca, and now, just a few blocks north within the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District, the team has de-shrouded the skeletal exterior of their upcoming condominium XOCO 325. Rising from a through-block site at 325 West Broadway, the 48,000 square foot development will house 21 light-filled residences upon its completion early next year. DDG picked up the site for $38.5 million in 2012, and in typical fashion, souped up the design with organic and environmentally inspired elements that charmed the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

325 West Broadway, XOCO 325, DDG, SOHO Condos, downtown new developments, NYC architecture, cast-iron

325 West Broadway, XOCO 325, DDG, SOHO Condos, downtown new developments, NYC architecture, cast-iron

The building’s most distinguished feature is a bold and fleshy cast aluminum front that sits nearly three-feet away from the glass curtain wall. Designed by DDG’s in-house design architect, Peter Guthrie, the 7-foot-by-11-foot grid will “float” over two ground-level retail space and is a modern reinterpretation of the district’s cast-iron loft building. Cast-iron is a precursor to modern steel, and was popularized in New York during the mid-1800s largely by James Bogardus. The material has the advantage over thick masonry walls in its ability to be assembled off-site, and that similar loads could be carried using thinner columns and beams. This allowed for larger windows and became a popular and inexpensive option for the dry goods merchants that commercialized SoHo in the late 1800s.

325 West Broadway, XOCO 325, DDG, SOHO Condos, downtown new developments, NYC architecture, cast-iron

325 West Broadway, XOCO 325, DDG, SOHO Condos, downtown new developments, NYC architecture, cast-iron

325 West Broadway, XOCO 325, DDG, SOHO Condos, downtown new developments, NYC architecture, cast-iron

XOCO’s bony facade also references cast-iron’s ability to be formed into a wide array of shapes and designs, and ability to be painted to mimic other materials. Its gunmetal-colored casts, infused with warmer hues of brown, conjure up thoughts of da Vinci’s anatomical drawings, Gaudi’s self-supporting stone facade of Casa MilĂ , or even melting chocolate (if you’re hungry enough). Within the interstitial spaces, a vertical irrigated planter system will ensure residents will see lots of green when looking out at the concrete jungle. Exterior vegetation has been a running theme in DDG’s prior buildings such as 345 Meatpacking or 41 Bond Street.

Sales of XOCO’s 21-units were launched last week. Residences will range from one- to four-bedrooms and are priced at an average of $2,526 per square foot. According to CityRealty, three units are available ranging from a $3.85 million two-bedroom to a four-bed, $7.65 million home on the sixth floor. Amenities will include a full-time doorman and concierge, private storage, bicycle parking, and a fitness studio with a wall of windows overlooking a private garden.

325 West Broadway, XOCO 325, DDG, SOHO Condos, downtown new developments, NYC architecture, cast-iron

Here are some more shots of the cast-aluminum facade:

325 West Broadway, XOCO 325, DDG, SOHO Condos, downtown new developments, NYC architecture, cast-iron

325 West Broadway, XOCO 325, DDG, SOHO Condos, downtown new developments, NYC architecture, cast-iron

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