Architecture And Design

It's easy to get distracted in Washington Square Park by all the NYU students and street performers, but there's a lot more than meets the eye in this historic public space. For instance, did you know the Minetta Creek runs under the park and through the surrounding neighborhood? Or what about all those beautiful trees, wouldn't it be fun to know a little more about them? With a new mobile map called the WSP Eco Map, you can identify the species of many trees in the park, locate other environmental park components like nesting boxes, and see exactly where the Minetta Brook/Creek is hiding.
Find out more here

Architecture And Design

EVENT: FDNY to Mark Its 150th Anniversary with Citywide Firehouse Tour!

Engine 33 via Eric on Flickr

April 24, 2015

EVENT: FDNY to Mark Its 150th Anniversary with Citywide Firehouse Tour!

Firehouses represent some of the most beautiful architecture in New York City, and now instead of just peeking inside through the windows (or ogling the FDNY calendar) you'll have the chance to get up close and personal with these firehouses (and maybe even some of the calendar models). To mark its 150th anniversary, the FDNY is hosting a citywide open house on Saturday, May 2nd where the public will be welcomed inside.
Find out more here

April 24, 2015

Vasily Klyukin’s ‘Top Sexy’ Skyscraper Concept Shows Some Serious Leg

Just when you thought skyscraper design couldn't get any more out there, Vasily Klyukin's vision for a FiDi tower blows even the tallest of towers out of the water. Unquestionably a very eye-catching and provocative—if not downright weird—design, Klyukin's "Top Sexy Tower" concept is inspired by the stems of fashion models who can be found stomping across the streets of Manhattan.
Find out more, plus other photos here

Architecture And Design

April 23, 2015

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Take a Tour Inside the Brand New Whitney Museum!

May 1st will mark a new era for the Whitney when its brand new home along the High Line swings its doors open to the public for the first time. A project that has been decades in the making, the $422 million structure designed by Renzo Piano is a game changer for a museum that had long outgrown its Upper East Side space. Boasting a whopping 220,000 square feet of column-free spaces, this glass and steel behemoth is a dynamic assemblage of shapes and angles, and perfectly outfitted to host the Whitney Museum's 22,000 works and then some. Though the museum won't officially open for another few days, this morning 6sqft joined a trove of celebrants at the pre-opening preview of the new High Line-hugging masterpiece. Take an exclusive photo tour with us inside ahead.
All the photos here

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 4/23-4/28

Image: Sakura Matsuri at the BK Botanical Garden by Liz Ligon

April 23, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 4/23-4/28

By Lori Zimmer

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 ArtNerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers, beginning tonight! Spring means another week of great events, kicking off with one of my own at the fabulous historic Roger Smith Hotel. This week, spend 12 hours celebrating philosophy, shop the best in home design for a cause, enjoy the authentic Lower East Side, or let art save your soul at the Rubin Museum. You can also celebrate spring Japanese style at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, take a selfie at Rockefeller Center, or school yourself at the Guggenheim.
All the best events here

United Nations Tower Has Floating Wrap-Around Gardens, Will Be New World’s Skinniest Tower

Renderings via ODA

April 23, 2015

United Nations Tower Has Floating Wrap-Around Gardens, Will Be New World’s Skinniest Tower

Just last month, Perkins + Will announced a new 65-story, 700-foot, pencil-thin tower coming to 37th Street. But it wasn't the height or slender design that got our attention; it was the sky-high gardens, five clusters of shared amenity and park spaces located at specific intervals on the building. Now, this project will be joined by another urban garden wonder near the United Nations. The Daily News reveals today renderings from ODA Architects of a super-skinny, 41-story, 600-foot skyscraper at 303 East 44th Street that will feature "six 16-foot-high gaps in the façade — each filled with a full-floor, canopied green space that will wrap around the core of the tower." These floating gardens will occupy the 2,600-square-foot floor plates, which are far smaller than the 4,800-square-foot floor plates at 111 West 57th Street, which has therefore lost its title of will-be world's skinniest tower.
More details ahead

April 23, 2015

Architectural Saviors: NYC Landmarks Saved from Destruction

Yesterday we rounded up some of the most heinous crimes committed against architecture in New York City, but today we're taking a look at the sunnier side of things. Our list of architectural saviors includes sites saved from the wrecking ball, as well as those that have remained intact and been adaptively reused. And with city-wide preservationists celebrating this year's 50th anniversary of the landmarks law, what better time to take a look back?
View our list of architectural saviors

April 22, 2015

Crimes Against Architecture: Treasured NYC Landmarks Purposely Destroyed or Damaged

At Monday's MCNY symposium “Redefining Preservation for the 21st Century,” starchitect Robert A.M. Stern lamented about 2 Columbus Circle and its renovation that rendered it completely unrecognizable. What Stern saw as a modernist architectural wonder, notable for its esthetics, cultural importance (it was built to challenge MoMA and the prevailing architectural style at the time), and history (the building originally served as a museum for the art collection of Huntington Hartford), others saw as a hulking grey slab. Despite the efforts of Stern and others to have the building landmarked, it was ultimately altered completely. This story is not unique; there are plenty of worthy historic buildings in New York City that have been heavily changed, let to fall into disrepair, or altogether demolished. And in many of these cases, the general public realized their significance only after they were destroyed. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the NYC landmarks law, we've rounded up some of the most cringe-worthy crimes committed against architecture.
Check out our list right here

April 22, 2015

Hexagonal Hamptons Beach Bungalow Has Quirky Checkered Floors and Beamed Ceilings

It's not all Real Housewives of NYC and mega-mansions out on the Hamptons. In fact, one of the cutest houses on the island (in our humble opinion) is on the market for just $595,000. Located in East Hampton at 73 Waterhole Road, this beach bungalow stands out on the exterior for its charming hexagonal shape and on the interior for its funky hand-painted checkered floors and rustic cedar beamed ceilings. And if that wasn't enough, the house sits on a large lot adjacent to a preserve and near a private residents-only beach and marina.
See more here

City’s First Micro-Apartment Project ‘MY Micro NY’ Ready for Stacking

Just in time for Earth Day, New York's first micro-unit apartment building, dubbed My Micro NY, is entering its final construction phase. When finished later this year, urbanites will have a chance to live within the center of the city in a brand new building flush with amenities, all for under $3,000. Developed by Monadnock Development and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the soon-to-be-nine-story structure wrapped up foundation work this past winter, and a one-story steel platform is ready to receive 55 modular units. The units are currently being built off-site at the Brooklyn Navy Yard by a team of 50 workers. In late May, the units will be shipped to the Gramercy Park lot at 335 East 27th Street where they will be stacked and bolted together along with stairs, an elevator, and other shared spaces.
More details ahead

Going Green and Curbing Gentrification: How the Bronx Is Doing It Differently

Image: View Grand Concourse via photopin (license)

April 20, 2015

Going Green and Curbing Gentrification: How the Bronx Is Doing It Differently

By Emily Nonko

“Ladies and gentlemen, the Bronx is burning." The infamous phrase, uttered in a 1977 broadcast of a Bronx fire, has stuck in the mind of many New Yorkers even today. Indeed, the Bronx saw a sharp decline in population and quality of life in the late 1960s and 1970s, which culminated in a wave of arson. By the early 1980s, the South Bronx was considered one of the most blighted neighborhoods in the country, with a 60 percent decline in population and 40 percent decline of housing units. Although revitalization picked up by the '90s, the Bronx never quite took off like its outer-borough counterparts Brooklyn and Queens. While media hype, quickly rising prices and a rush of development has come to characterize those two boroughs, the Bronx has flourished more quietly. The borough, nevertheless, has become home to growth and development distinct from the rest of New York City. Innovative affordable housing, adaptive reuse projects, green development and strong community involvement are redefining the area. As Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said during this Municipal Arts Society discussion in 2014, this is "The New Bronx."
Keep Reading About What's Going on in the Bronx

New Renderings Revealed for 217 West 57th Street, the Will-Be Tallest Residential Building in the World

Rendering via NY Yimby

April 20, 2015

New Renderings Revealed for 217 West 57th Street, the Will-Be Tallest Residential Building in the World

It's been relatively quiet on the Nordstrom Tower front since we saw some skyline renderings in September. But now YIMBY has uncovered the official renderings for Extell's 217 West 57th Street, the 92-story, 1,775-foot supertall that will take the title of tallest residential building in the world when completed, surpassing Mumbai’s World One Tower by 29 feet. The images continue to show how the tower will dominate the skyline, but they also give us a detailed look at the façade and a peek into one of the penthouses.
See all the renderings here

April 20, 2015

Famed Author Peter Straub’s UWS Townhouse on the Market for First Time in Thirty Years

By Stephanie Hoina

With accolades like the Bram Stoker Award, the World Fantasy Award, and the International Horror Guild Award to his name, one might proceed with caution when entering the home of American author and poet Peter Straub. But we can assure you that his literary penchant for things dark and mysterious doesn’t extend to the distinguished Queen Anne-style townhouse that he’s lived in for thirty years. The single-family residence at 53 West 85th Street on the Upper West Side is one of a series of three similar brick townhouses built in the late 1880s along 85th between Central Park West and Columbus, and it's now available for $8.2 million.
See inside the author's home

April 20, 2015

The City’s Plan B for Barry Diller’s Pier 55 Floating Park Is Far Less Exciting

In February, the futuristic Pier 55 floating park planned for the Meatpacking District moved forward with a lease deal between the Hudson River Park Trust and a nonprofit group controlled by Barry Diller, the billionaire media mogul who pledged $130 million back in November to fund the $151.8 million park. Diller is allocating the funds through the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation (his wife is fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg), but under the agreement he can pull his support if he feels renovations at neighboring piers aren't up to par. And according to DNAinfo, the city's backup plan in this event is quite underwhelming, completely scratching the floating island and creating a $30 million park similar to others along Hudson River Park.
READ MORE

Architecture And Design

April 20, 2015

190 Bowery’s New Tenant Plans to Keep Iconic Graffiti on the Facade

Those who have been mourning the loss of 190 Bowery to the clutches of the rich can breathe a slight sigh of relief. Just a month after having some of its graffiti removed, the WSJ reports that the former Germania Bank—and former home of photographer Jay Maisel—has just inked its first lease. The tenant, "a company made up of agencies representing creative professionals in the industry of luxury and fashion image-making" has signed on for nearly 30,000 square feet and says that it will maintain all of the building's historic touches, from "its marble wash basins to the graffiti covering the lower part of the facade."
Find out more

Architecture And Design

April 19, 2015

Brooklyn Designer Katy Skelton Crafts Storage-Friendly and Stylish Furniture for City Dwellers

By Patty Lee

It's a dilemma that almost everyone has faced — where do we find a media console that's storage-friendly, but isn't a complete eyesore? Enter Brooklyn-based designer Katy Skelton, whose Desi cabinet brings us the best of both worlds. Made from solid walnut, the beautiful console features two drawers and two cabinets, each with removable shelves that owners can move and adjust according to their needs. Doors are equipped with soft-close hardware and cabinets boasts cord management cutouts to help organize all the different video and stereo systems.
See more of Skelton's timeless designs here

April 17, 2015

Long Island City’s Hot New Park-Front Project Liv@ Murray Park North Set to Begin Sales

While Manhattan buyers typically pay a great premium for a park-front address, a single subway stop away in Long Island City, a new condominium aptly named Liv@ Murray Park North will begin sales with homes starting around $400,000. Developed by George Xu and Century Development Group, the six-story, 39-unit building will house a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments designed by Queens' own Raymond Chan Architects. Liv@ Murray Park North is located at 11-35 45th Avenue along the northern frontage of the 2.5 acre Murray Park/Murray Playground. Similar in size to downtown's Gramercy Park, the community jewel is LIC's largest green space not situated along the East River. The park is also across from the neighborhood's sole historic district and is positioned centrally between the area's two booming high-rise nodes–the master-planned Hunter's Point waterfront community and the Court Square-Queens Plaza business district.
More on the project ahead

April 16, 2015

The Sutton, Toll Brothers’ ‘Modern Vintage’ Condo, Tops Out and Gets Motley Skin

Toll Brothers' latest condo development The Sutton has reached its 30-story apex and is currently applying a variety of skins to its frame that its designers hope will capture a "modern vintage" aesthetic. Situated at the boundary of Midtown East's Turtle Bay and Sutton Place neighborhoods at 959 First Avenue, the 90-unit tower (down from 114-units) will hold one- to four-bedroom residences priced from $1 million to more than $6 million, and provide the typical array of amenities and interiors that reflect the surrounding area's classic New York vibe.
Find out more about the project

April 15, 2015

The City Breaks Ground on New York’s 630-Foot Ferris Wheel Tomorrow!

Hold on to your hats, folks! After countless delays, the New York Wheel is finally back on track. Architizer reports that workers are gearing up to break ground tomorrow, April 16th, on what is slated to become the world's tallest observation wheel. Providing panoramic views of New York Harbor and the cityscape beyond, the 630-foot wheel located at the tip of St. George on northern Staten Island is primed to become one of the most epic ways to experience New York City.
FInd out more on the cost and admission here

Architecture And Design

April 14, 2015

This Schematic of NYC Structures Shows the City’s Icons in Blueprint Style

Want to bring a little bit of the city into your home, but tired of the standard black-and-white photos of landmarks or graphic maps that can be found at every craft fair these days? Why not frame this lovely print called Splendid Structures of New York City? Based on Brooklyn-based Pop Chart Lab's popular print The Schematic of Structures, this new design takes iconic NYC structures like the Statue of Liberty and One World Trade Center, along with local landmarks such as the Unisphere and Wyckoff House, and presents them in a hand-illustrated, blueprint-like style.
See the full print here

April 14, 2015

This Map Lets You Explore NYC’s 592,130 Street Trees by Species and Trunk Thickness

If you feel like your allergies go into overdrive when you're in the city, don’t be so quick to blame it on all the dust and must being kicked up by passing cars. As it turns out, New York’s flora is far more diverse and abundant than you’d suspect. Jill Hubley, a Brooklyn web developer, took data from the 2005-2006 Street Tree Census and found that there are about 592,130 trees on public streets alone. But beyond pinpointing where each street tree sits, Hubley's map also identifies a tree's species and trunk thickness. What emerges from her study is a kaleidoscope of colors and a fascinating look at the city's biodiversity.
Find out more here

April 13, 2015

$1,795 LES Rental Proudly Features a Shower in the Kitchen

If you're going to be that landlord who puts a shower in the kitchen, there's really no point in being subtle. This Lower East Side apartment located at 27 Orchard Street at Delancey has nothing to hide, prominently displaying its shower stall in all its glory front and center. While this type of living situation typically screams studio apartment, the "old world style" pad is actually a one-bedroom that's "better than your average studio!"
More on this apartment here

April 13, 2015

The Compact Gali Kitchen Is Perfect for Always-on-the-Move New Yorkers

Wouldn't it have been nice to have your own kitchen when you lived in that cramped apartment you shared with six people? Or to actually have a kitchen at all when you lived in that shoebox studio? For constantly on-the-move New Yorkers who like to cook (or maybe just wash a dish here and there), these are common conundrums. But a new compact system called the Gali Kitchen can easily solve these problems. The creation of recent design school grad Ana Arana, Gali is considered a revision of the kitchen, "letting each individual distribute their space as wanted, having everything necessary to cook when needed but allowing the living space to embrace new possibilities." Remarkably, the adaptable, compact module includes everything one needs -- a sink, fridge, induction cooktop, storage, and prep/dining table.
See more ahead

April 12, 2015

Construction Update: SOM’s 252 East 57th Street Getting Its Glass Skin