Architecture And Design

October 14, 2015

Robert A.M. Stern’s 520 Park Avenue Finally Reaches Street Level, $130M Penthouse on Its Way

Two years since its groundbreaking, Zeckendorf Development's tower o' opulence at 520 Park Avenue has finally emerged from its cavernous trench. Set for completion in 2018, the Billionaires' Row building will climb 54 floors and 780 feet into the Manhattan skyline, becoming the tallest and likely the most prestigious building on the Upper East Side. Envisioned by William Lie and Arthur Zeckendorf, 520 Park Avenue inherits the classically-inspired taste of the real estate dynasty's prior projects. In the '80s, their father William Zeckendorf Jr. erected some of the city's largest post-modern apartment complexes such as Worldwide Plaza, Zeckendorf Towers, and the Park Belvedere. Here, the developers commissioned the esteemed architect/historian and dean of the Yale School of Architecture Robert A.M. Stern as the designer and SLCE as the architects of record. This team also collaborated together on 18 Gramercy Park South and 15 Central Park West, which shattered apartment records when it opened in 2008. Intent on replicating its west side counterpart's success, the Zeckendorfs again gathered the now-not-so-secret ingredients: a powerful address, palatial apartments, and most importantly, the coveted Central Park view, all of which will culminate in a jaw-dropping $130 million penthouse.
More on the project's status

October 13, 2015

The Enveloppe Sofa by Inga Sempe Is as Great as Spooning

By Rebecca Paul

Sometimes after a long day at work you can almost hear your couch calling your name. But by introducing the Enveloppe Sofa by Inga Sempe into your living room, your most beloved piece of furniture will actually welcome you home with a well-deserved hug. The curved design of the couch can be enjoyed solo, with a friend or a loved one.
find out more here

October 13, 2015

Upper East Side Townhouse by Blair Harris Boasts Opulent Details and Regal Allure

By Rebecca Paul

Blair Harris Interior Design is relatively new to the New York design scene, but the work they've been churning out thus far is simply stunning. This beautifully decorated Upper East Side townhouse boasts an array of opulent textures, colors, and patterns, and the carefully curated furniture and light fixtures give the home a regal allure. The architectural details include floor-to-ceiling windows, ornate ceiling medallions, handsome molding, and decadent built-ins.
Take a look around

October 12, 2015

New Renderings of One Vanderbilt Show the 1,500-Foot Tall Tower Set in the Skyline

By Diane Pham

Outside of a $1.1 billion lawsuit, news on the One Vanderbilt front has been relatively quiet. The supertall tower received unanimous approval back in May by the City Council and since then demo at the site has been underway. But now, NY Yimby has gotten ahold of some new renderings that offer additional views of the KPF-designed tower—in particular, how the 1,500-foot behemoth will fit in with the existing NYC skyline. Once the building is constructed, it will be one of the tallest skycrapers in the city with a roof height exceeding that of One World Trade's. And as noted by YIMBY, One Vanderbilt will also be the first building in Midtown east to surpass the Chrysler Building in height (which, if you look closely at the above rendering, you can see demurely reflected in the building's glass).
see more here

October 12, 2015

INTERVIEW: ADFF Founder Kyle Bergman Invites You to Revel in Architecture Films All This Week!

By Diane Pham

Attention all film, architecture and architecture film buffs! This week marks the start of the seventh annual Architecture and Design Film Festival (ADFF). For six glorious days, from October 13th-18th, New Yorkers are invited to enjoy more than 30 feature-length and short films centered on, you guessed it, architecture and design. While many of you may be thinking that watching a two-plus hour movie about a building is a guaranteed snoozer, ADFF's Kyle Bergman would most definitely argue otherwise. We recently caught up with the festival founder and architect who turned the once five-film gathering into a multi-city phenomenon that has captured the eyes, ears and hearts of not just design professionals, but folks from all walks of life looking to be inspired and moved by great cinema. Learn more about how the festival came to be and what's in store for this year's ADFF ahead. **BONUS: 6sqft readers can enjoy special discount on tickets! Just enter the code “FLOOR” at check out.**
read the interview with Kyle here

October 12, 2015

Supertall Towers Getting Multimillion-Dollar Antenna Systems to Ensure Good Cell Reception

By Dana Schulz

"If I can't text, I'm moving" is the title of a New York Times article that looks at the growing issue of cell phone reception in supertall towers. Of course, the main problem arises in sky-high units that are above cell tower antennas or are in the path of other signals, but new construction methods are also getting in the way. Thick concrete walls, reinforced steel floors, and low-emission windows all can weaken, if not altogether block, wireless signals. "To correct this issue, developers are installing elaborate in-house wireless networks to boost coverage within projects ranging from new rental towers in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to condominium conversions in the 1913 Woolworth Building in Manhattan," the paper explains.
More on the trend

October 12, 2015

This Seesaw Table Was Designed to Keep You Alert During Meal Times

By Rebecca Paul

It may not be ideal for that already-awkward Tinder date, but this cool seesaw table, also known as De Tafelwip, is perfect when vying for a loved one's full attention. The table's design was inspired by Dutch designer Marleen Jansen's thesis project called "being forced voluntarily" that examined the subject of table manners. Her intention was to create a product that would inherently prevent people from walking away from the table while eating dinner, and as far as we can tell, she was certainly successful in this pursuit.
More ahead

October 12, 2015

Specht Harpman Transforms an Awkward 425-Square-Foot Apartment Into an Open Space Oasis

By Rebecca Paul

Buying property in NYC sometimes requires a little imagination, as it did for this Upper West Side micro loft, first purchased for $95,000 by its current owner Huxley Somerville back in 1994. Somerville, who is a managing director at a commercial mortgage-backed securities division, had almost gone to school to study architecture, so he was able to recognize the potential in this awkward 425-square-foot brownstone apartment. Finally in 2009, after living abroad and subletting the place for many years, Somerville teamed up with the architecture firm Specht Harpman to turn his open-space vision into a reality.
See the transformation

October 12, 2015

This Well-Preserved $1.95M Ditmas Park Victorian Has Lots of Perfect Spots to Soak Up Some Sun

By Michelle Cohen

This well-preserved two-and-a-half-story (plus basement), six-bedroom single-family Victorian house at 447 Rugby Road in Ditmas Park has a small-town vibe–from the big, wide front porch that's just waiting for that porch swing to the very chill upstairs sun porch perfect for catching the last warm autumn rays. But there's big-city subway access and plenty to do within a few blocks, and a citified price of $1.95 million, a number that wouldn't have been seen in this lovely and historic neighborhood a few years back.
Tour this pretty piece of Brooklyn history

October 11, 2015

Upper East Side Co-op Personally Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Asks $9.5 Million

By Emily Nonko

Talk about a selling point: This apartment, located in the Upper East Side co-op building 820 Park Avenue, has been personally redesigned by starchitect Robert A.M. Stern. He is well known for his project on the other side of the park, 15 Central Park West, where he designed a condo reminiscent of the historic co-op towers along the park. Here, he's taken a prewar co-op, which fills up the entire 12th floor, and added some modern luxury perks. The apartment itself has an interesting history; it was originally configured as a triplex for the building's owner, and was then owned by pharmaceutical giant Cheng Ching Wang, the late father of Vera Wang. Serena and David Steinberg (she's the daughter of Houston-based real estate mogul Gerald Hines, who's built projects designed by I.M. Pei, Frank Gehry, and, of course, Robert A.M. Stern) purchased this floor for $6.5 million in 2008, pre-reno, and subsequently brought on Stern. After such a grand renovation, the owners started seeking a hefty profit back in 2013, originally listing it for $16.5 million. Now, after several price chops, it's back for a much-reduced price of $9.5 million.
See the full renovation

REVEALED: Chelsea Atelier’s Mixed-Use High Line Development With Viewing Decks

By Ondel Hylton

Another forward-looking project may be coming to the banks of the High Line, this time for a T-shaped lot near the corner of Tenth Avenue and West 17th Street. While still in its conceptual stage, the design of 455 West 17th Street is being handled by architecture and project management firm Chelsea Atelier. The two-wing project consists of a four-story Tenth Avenue wing, to contain a small hotel or offices, and a larger 11-story wing that would house residential condominiums. Amir Shouri, senior designer at Chelsea Atelier, says the design seeks to create viewing decks to capture glimpses of the High Line and the Hudson River. The blurred boundaries between inside and out will ceaselessly showcase the "live urban activity of the High Line during the day and motivate inhabitants to go out an enjoy the area's many amenities."
More details this way

October 9, 2015

William Randolph Hearst’s Stunning Central Park West Penthouse Sells for $18M

By Annie Doge

After nearly a year on the market, and a deal with Giorgio Armani that ultimately fell through, the ornate penthouse that previously belonged to publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst has finally sold. As reported by The Real Deal, the buyer of the magnificent home is John Legere, a T-Mobile CEO who entered contract to buy the pad back in July. Originally listed for $27.5 million, the home saw numerous price cuts over the last few months, ultimately settling on a $18 million price tag with Legere. While the penthouse is not nearly as large as Hearst's other former top floor spread (that one had an incredible 14,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space!), this 1,600-square foot beauty maintains many spectacular details, including a wood-burning fireplace, herringbone floors, hand-carved wood doors, stained glass windows and a private terrace encompassing the entire frontage of its 91 Central Park West address.
Go inside the home

October 9, 2015

The Fuck You Umbrella Gives You Peace of Mind and the Rain a Piece of Your Mind

By Rebecca Paul

Any seasoned New Yorker knows that unfavorable weather conditions can rear their ugly head in a New York minute. However, if we let a little rain or snow muck up our productivity we'd get nothing done come fall and winter (and who wants to work in the summer?). But that doesn't mean we're happy about it. This "Fuck You Rain Umbrella" helps us to move on with our day despite the rain or snow, and maybe make us feel a bit better in the process—we're just venting here.
READ MORE

Turkish Consulate’s New Tower Across From UN Finally Moves Ahead, Offices and Apartments Planned

Concept design by Chelsea Atelier

October 9, 2015

Turkish Consulate’s New Tower Across From UN Finally Moves Ahead, Offices and Apartments Planned

By Ondel Hylton

After more than three years on the drawing board, the replacement tower for Turkey’s Consulate General and Permanent Mission to the United States at 821 First Avenue is finally moving forward. First announced in 2012, the proposed project, known as the Turkevi Center, has commissioned Perkins Eastman as the architects of record. The building will house new offices for the consulate, and diplomatic residences for permanent staff and visitors above.
Find out more here

Starchitect Rafael Viñoly Will Donate Services to Design Science Center at Tribeca’s Pier 26

Pier 26 image via Curbed

October 9, 2015

Starchitect Rafael Viñoly Will Donate Services to Design Science Center at Tribeca’s Pier 26

By Dana Schulz

When he's not designing the city's tallest towers, starchitect Rafael Viñoly has a philanthropic side. The New York Times reported that he'll be donating his services to the Hudson River Park Trust to design the long-planned science education and research center on Pier 26 in Tribeca (famous for serving as the location of the Village People's 1978 "Y.M.C.A" video). Known as an estuarium, the project is part of a larger redevelopment of the pier, which will include a new park by landscape architects OLIN, the current free kayaking program and dog runs, and a City Vineyard restaurant, according to Curbed.
READ MORE

Architecture And Design

October 9, 2015

Construction and Sales Begin on SCDA’s Billionaires’ Row Tower, 118 East 59th Street

By Ondel Hylton

Construction and sales have commenced on a glass-encased, 500-foot-tall condominium tower at 118 East 59th Street developed by Euro Properties and designed by Soo K. Chan of SCDA Architects. Situated mid block between Park and Lexington Avenues, the tower is surrounded by the crème de la crème of New York real estate, positioned within the nexus of several high-value locales: The Plaza District, home to the GM Building, commands the city's top office rents; nearby shopping stretches of Fifth and Madison Avenues hold the world's most coveted retail corners; and a one-mile long, super-luxury residential corridor, nicknamed Billionaires' Row, straddles the southern bounds of Central Park and is set to reshape the city skyline into a trophy shelf of wealth.
More details ahead

October 8, 2015

Long Island City ‘Micro’ Units Will Have Three Bedrooms

By Dana Schulz

To date, the city's biggest and most news-worthy micro housing complex, My Micro NY, has offered only studios, which makes sense considering a micro apartment is typically defined as encompassing less than 350 square feet. But the term "micro" is getting an expansion (figuratively and literally) in Long Island City, where a new rental complex will offer 57 two- and three-bedroom units ranging from 490 to 735 square feet, according to the Wall Street Journal. The project at 37-10 Crescent Street is being developed by Ranger Properties, whose managing principal Sheldon Stein said, "Our concept is we can offer really high-quality public amenity space, and better value with smaller private spaces, and bring the rental cost down."
More details

October 8, 2015

There’s an Historic English Muffin Oven Hiding Underneath This Chelsea Co-op

By Emily Nonko

Although the popular song would have you believe that the muffin man lives on Drury Lane, he actually has digs right here in Chelsea on West 20th Street. 337 West 20th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues, is a nondescript, four-story brick building that is officially known as "The Muffin House." Looking at the building from outside, you wouldn't think there's anything special to it. But underground, preserved below what is now a modest co-op complex, there's a massive bakery oven. And not just any old oven, although that discovery is unique in and of itself. This is the oven once operated by a very well-known baker, the one responsible for introducing English muffins to the United States.
His name was Samuel Bath Thomas

October 8, 2015

Jan Eleni’s Brooklyn Townhouse Mixes Primitive and Industrial Styles for a Perfectly Curated Look

By Rebecca Paul

Jan Eleni, the designer responsible for the interior of this Brooklyn townhouse, first made a name for herself in NYC in the '90s with a little shop in the East Village. The store, also under her name, provided New Yorkers a place to buy an eclectic mix of primitive and industrial pieces. A self-taught designer who loves to "hunt," Eleni filled her shop with items that she found to be the most intriguing. She now splits her time between New York and Brazil and infuses this same aesthetic into her clients' interiors, with this home serving as a great example of her eclectic style.
Check it out

October 8, 2015

Stylish Cat Bed for Your Modern Home Also Provides Jobs to People With Disabilities

By Rebecca Paul

Cats are self-sufficient animals and make excellent city pets. While their smelly litter boxes aren't our favorite household item, The Cube, a cat bed designed by Aude Sanchez and Guillaume Gadenne of Meyou, will fit in beautifully with your modern home decor. But the fact that the bed is nice to look at isn't even the best part. Sanchez, who has a background in marketing and communication, and Gadenne, who's an industrial designer, have teamed up with an organization dedicated to rehabilitating the disabled through work for the bed's manufacturing and stock management. The cotton beds will retail for $200 and will start shipping by March of 2016.
READ MORE

October 7, 2015

The Liberty Bridge Would Connect Jersey City to Battery Park City in High Line-esque Fashion

By Dana Schulz

Jersey City resident Kevin Shane was sick and tired of the traffic and faulty mass transit that impeded his trip into the city. Like many Jerseyites, he longed for a way to get across the river by foot or bicycle. But unlike everyone else, he stopped complaining and enlisted Jeff Jordan Architects to get the ball rolling. The firm has envisioned a 5,000-foot pedestrian bridge between Jersey City and Battery Park City. The proposal is certainly ambitious, but as Curbed notes, not entirely far-fetched considering the Hudson River is only about a mile wide. Dubbed the Liberty Bridge, it touts High Line-like features such as views from 200+ feet, plantings, ADA-compliant access points, integrated seating, public art, solar panels, free wifi, and cafes and shops.
More details and renderings right this way

Architecture And Design

Tips From a Professional: Interior Designer Michael Herold on How to Personalize a Rental

Our series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week we get tips from interior designer Michael Herold for making a rental feel like a personalized, permanent home. Michael’s work has appeared in Elle Décor, the New York Times, and Vogue, to name a few publications, and just this past spring he designed a room at the prestigious 2015 Kips Bay Decorator Show House.

October 7, 2015

Tips From a Professional: Interior Designer Michael Herold on How to Personalize a Rental

By Michael Herold

As a designer, I pride myself on my ability to bring a bold, modern approach to classic design, but working in the tri-state area (my office is based in Lambertville, NJ), I've encountered many rental properties where I don't have the option to make some of the permanent changes I normally would. Since this issue is more common in New York City than perhaps anywhere else, I've put together here some personal tips on how to dress up a rental.
All of the tips here

October 7, 2015

Inspired by Dumpster Living, Kasita Is the Micro-Apartment You Can Take Anywhere

By Rebecca Paul

Jeff Wilson's new design, Kasita, is a radical approach to apartment living. Now like never before you can literally move your entire apartment from one city to the next with the push of a button. The design of the tech-packed home was inspired by Wilson's radical experiment in apartment living when he spent the better part of a year living in a converted dumpster. The alternative lifestyle was supposed to provide commentary on the excessiveness of the typical single-family house, but it did far more than that.
More about Kasita Here

October 7, 2015

Real Money Gets Recycled Into New Fabric for Designer Furniture

By Rebecca Paul

Did you know that most money only has a lifespan of 18 months before it is decommissioned and sent to the incinerator? In reality, your cold hard cash is nothing more than a fancy blend of cotton and linen, and as we move deeper into the digital age, our tactile dollars are being used less and less. So what will happen to our coins and bills when they become obsolete? Well, London-based designer Angela Mathis is thinking ahead with her new project VALUE, which recycles shredded notes to form a new textile that can be applied to a variety of upholstery needs.
READ MORE

October 6, 2015

Union Square Bachelor Pad With Indian Decor Has Its Very Own Coffee Bar

By Rebecca Paul

Getting settled in Manhattan can be challenging, but with help from the designers at Peti Lau Inc. this bachelor from Bangalore, India created a place to call home with an epic interior inspired by his love for travel, all things vintage, and coffee. Located in Union Square, this 1,800-square-foot one-bedroom apartment boasts a variety of noteworthy design details, including a cafe-inspired kitchen and tchotchkes and rugs gathered from the owner's trips to Africa, Morocco and India.
Take a look around

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