Architecture And Design

December 19, 2014

Hilarious Architecture-Inspired Holiday Cards to Hand Out This Season

Giving and getting holiday cards is always fun, but every so often you'll receive one that really gets you giggling. This year, be the person handing off clever cards to your friends and family. ArchDaily has just announced their 2014 Holiday Card Contest winners, and for all of you design-minded folks and architecture nerds, they've got plenty of punny—and just downright cool—cards to choose from.
get the cards here
December 18, 2014

INTERVIEW: HS2 Architecture’s Tom and Jane Talk Residential Design and Their 20-Year Collaboration

HS2 Architecture's name may not ring all that familiar, but you've certainly come across their projects before—and we're not just talking on 6sqft. HS2's power pair, Tom Hut and Jane Sachs, have been working together since 1994, enduring the ups and downs of the NYC market and putting some spectacular and very recognizable designs out there while at it. Does the Gramercy Park Hotel ring a bell? Maybe the Palazzo Chupi? Or maybe you've shopped at the Ralph Lauren Store on Madison and 72nd. Easily one of the most underrated architecture firms working today, HS2 is really a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the built environment. In celebration of their 20th anniversary, we recently sat down with founders Tom and Jane to talk about their studio, their work, and the roller coaster ride that has been New York City architecture over the past two decades.
Read the interview with HS2's principals here
December 18, 2014

2015 Architectural League Prize Is Accepting Submissions for Authenticity Competition

Budding architects and designers have the chance to submit proposals that cultivate new positions of authenticity within architecture, the task of this year's Architectural League Prize Competition, according to Arch Daily. Since 1981, this contest has been put on by the Young Architects + Designers Committee to recognize young practitioners. Authenticity has a very different meaning in today's digital world than it did in ancient Greece, for example, where the only two forms of copying were stamping and casting. Thus, the 2015 Authenticity competition asks participants to explore "how design, technology, and practice challenge authenticity and the ways that originality, expression, and authorship continue to be pursued."
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December 18, 2014

Davis Brody Bond, Architects of 9/11 Museum, Will Design New NYU Building in the Village

Architecture firm Davis Brody Bond is continuing their tradition of designing projects met with much controversy. First came the 9/11 Museum, then the Frick Museum expansion, and now the new NYU building in the Village. Davis Brody Bond will join KieranTimberlake in designing the university's new building on the Coles Sports Center site on Mercer Street between Houston and Bleecker Streets. The building is part of the highly contentious $6 billion, 1.9 million-square-foot NYU 2031 expansion plan. The development agreement allows NYU to develop only one parcel of land at a time, with Coles being the first.
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December 17, 2014

Explore NYC in 3-D with Google Maps’ Latest Update

For those of you who remember the quirky Times story featuring a Google team's attempt to document every inch of Ellis Island, here comes the the payoff. The awe-inspiring world of Google Maps and Google Earth is growing into an even grander time suck with a slew of new city sites rendered in 3-D. Their latest update now lets us explore New York's landmarks from top to torch to spire, and all the details in between, right from our desktops. Some of the most impressive sites worth a gander include the Statue of Liberty and One World Trade Center.
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December 17, 2014

$2.5M Romanesque Revival Rowhouse in Prospect Heights Is Full of Original Details

"I want something with character." This is definitely a line brokers hear all the time. And if their current character-seeking client is looking to move to brownstone Brooklyn, this $2.5 million Romanesque Revival rowhouse in Prospect Heights is the perfect place to satisfy their check list. Located at 268 Prospect Place, the three-bedroom, 2,430-square-foot home was built by William L. Beers in 1899. It's oozing with historic details, including six fireplaces, stained glass transom windows, moldings galore, a carved wood staircase, sand wood floors, original wainscoting, cornices, and shutters.
Tour the historic home here
December 17, 2014

Incorporated Architecture & Design’s Texas Hill House Was Inspired by Traditional Cow Barns

Like their Sixteen Doors House, Incorporated Architecture & Design’s Texas Hill House was inspired by traditional loft-like cow barns. Located on 25 acres in rural upstate New York in Craryville, a town at the base of the Berkshires, the three-bedroom home is strikingly modern while still blending in with its wooded farmland surroundings. It was developed for a young New York City-based couple–one born and bred in NYC and the other from Costa Rica and of Asian descent–who sought a retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday urban life. The home blends both of their decorative traditions as well as reminders of their travels through Europe, China, Japan, and South America.
Tour the rest of the home
December 17, 2014

1100 Architect Transforms a Boring Midtown Loft into Their Client’s Pop Art Dream Home

This home, which was previously your average-fair Midtown penthouse, was transformed by 1100 Architect to represent the playful and vibrant Pop art sensibility of the artists their clients admire most. With an art collection boasting names like Warhol, Riley, Lichtenstein and others, this penthouse renovation could be a mini-MoMA. The interior furnishings reflect the Pop style's infamous geometric forms and hard-polished surfaces like marble agglomerate floors, lacquer, stainless steel, glass, and plastic.
Tour this bright pad here
December 17, 2014

6sqft Gift Guide: A Minimal, Politically Correct Nativity Set by Émilie Voirin

If Jesus is your homeboy, you can share a bit of religious flair this holiday season without offending any Christian on your list. The Minimal Nativity Set is a contemporary take on the bible-based scene, employing beech wood or brass blocks inscribed with each scene member's name (Donkey, Joseph, Baby Jesus, etc.) to stand in for the traditional figurines. Created by French artist and designer Émilie Voirin, the blocks still represent the story and take place around the crib, but the characters have no skin color or features, leaving it up to people's imagination and personal beliefs.
More on the Minimal Nativity Set
December 17, 2014

NYU Professor Builds Himself a Tiny Cabin Using Recycled and Salvaged Materials

Everyone can use a break from the city, even those college professors we can’t imagine having lives outside the classroom. Equipped with a dream and a newly-bought plot of land in New Jersey, one NYU educator hired Derek “Deek” Diedricksen of RelaxShacks.com to build a tiny cabin perfect for grading papers and relaxation. The micro-pod was constructed on […]

December 16, 2014

Lubrano Ciavarra Architects’ West Village Townhouse Boasts a Plush Green Roof

This elegant West Village townhouse was recently renovated by Lubrano Ciavarra Architects, a Brooklyn-based firm founded by Anne Marie Lubrano and Lea Ciavarra in 1999. Nestled on a beautiful tree-lined street, it boasts a rich brick exterior and plenty of original details.  The 2,900-square-foot home's design is a cool combination of modern, clean textiles and a very unique approach to incorporating nature in and outside of the house.
Take a look around here
December 16, 2014

Times Square Is Getting a Heart-Beating Urban Drum for Valentine’s Day

As New Yorkers, we don't really think of Times Square as a romantic location, but for Valentine's Day 2015 we might just stand corrected. Brooklyn-based architecture firm Stereotank was announced as the winner of the annual Times Square Valentine Heart Design contest, a public art competition held for the past seven years by the Times Square Alliance and the Architectural League of New York. Stereotank's HEARTBEAT installation is an interactive, heart-beating, glowing urban drum.
More on HEARTBEAT ahead
December 15, 2014

Google-Backed Pedal-Powered Pod Cars Coming to a City Near You?

JPods, East River Skyway, an expanding Citi Bike—if one thing is clear, New York City's rapidly growing population has gotten a lot of people worried about how our already taxed infrastructure is going to account for all of these new bodies. The latest transportation idea to come out of the woodwork is not necessarily a new one, but it's one that's recently found a new boost thanks to interest and funding provided by everyone's favorite search giant: Google. Called "SkySMART," this new idea for mobility utilizes a series of sun- and pedal-powered pods that run along an elevated rail high above city traffic.
More on Skysmart here
December 15, 2014

QueensWay Elevated Park Moves Closer to Reality, State Allocates $444K for First Phase

It looks like the city is one big step closer to getting its second elevated park. DNA Info reports that the state has just allocated nearly $444,000 to the design of the first phase of the QueensWay, an urban renewal project that would transform 3.5 miles of abandoned elevated railway into a park akin to the High Line. The money was awarded to the Trust for Public Land via Governor Cuomo’s $709.2 million Regional Economic Development Council initiative. The first phase will consist of the design of the "Northern Gateway," which comprises a 1.5-mile-long stretch starting at Rego Park. The park is set to extend from Rego Park to Ozone Park.
Find out more here
December 15, 2014

EVENT: Here’s Your Chance to Check Out Billionaire Peter Brant’s Converted Con Ed Station

Now's your chance to get a look into one of the city's coolest spaces. EV Grieve tells us that from now through Sunday, the curious yellow brick building located at 421 East 6th Street will open its doors to the public for its first art show featuring Dan Colen. The former Con Ed substation was recently purchased for $27 million by billionaire Peter Brant from the estate of the late Walter de Maria, the famed sculptor who converted the 16,402-square-foot structure into an incredible home and studio back in the '80s. The event is sure to delight, if not for the artist's work (which ARTnews dubs "deeply mediocre"), then at least for the chance to get a first glimpse into the extraordinary space. Nondescript and gritty on the outside, the building’s cavernous interior spaces boast ceilings as high as 32 feet, and plenty of the near-century-old substation's original details remain intact.
Find out more here
December 15, 2014

Witness Superb Woodwork from the Days of Yore at This $2.4M Brooklyn Townhouse

Here at 6sqft we have a strong appreciation for all kinds of architecture–both old and new; but the truth of the matter is, they just don’t make homes like this anymore. In September 2013 this two-family home at 398 Sterling Place hit the market, asking nearly $3 million. When its price dropped to $2.79 million a month later, the townhouse was quickly snatched up. Now, the building’s 2,480-square-foot lower duplex is back on the market, touting restored original details and a new and improved reverse floor plan, for $2.39 million.
More pics inside
December 14, 2014

The Sea House by West Chin Architects Mixes Beachy Vibes with Contemporary Décor

Now that we've made it through the week of rain and dreary skies, we need a little extra sunshine in our lives, so we've decided to take a look at a beach house aptly titled the Sea. That whole nautical theme for a beach house can be a bit overdone, but we still like our seaside residences to feel as though we've been transported from the urban jungle to the sandy shores. That's why the Sea by West Chin Architects is the perfect getaway; it mixes contemporary décor with an easygoing design esthetic. Located in Long Beach, the Sea was designed to feel imposing, taking full advantage of its beach front location and stunning ocean views. Its other selling point is the abundance of outdoor spaces, including several balconies and terraces and the outdoor dining area with a bar and a lounge area by the pool.
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December 12, 2014

How Bike-Friendly Architecture Can Transform Cities for the Better

NYC is well on its way to becoming a bike-friendly city. With Citi Bike expanding and designs for bikes of all shapes and sizes growing in popularity, it's only a matter of time before we start seeing architecture built specifically for cyclists' use. In his article, “10 Points of a Bicycling Architecture”, originally published on ArchDaily, Steven Fleming explores ten ways major cities, like New York, can make this happen. A revolution is occurring in street design. New York, arguably the world’s bellwether city, has let everyday citizens cycle for transport. They have done that by designating one lane on most avenues to bicyclists only, with barriers to protect them from traffic. Now hundreds of cities are rejiggering to be bicycle-friendly, while in New York there is a sense that more change is afoot. Many New Yorkers would prefer if their city were more like Copenhagen where 40% of all trips are by bike. But then Copenhagen wants more as well. Where does this stop? If you consider that we are talking about a mode of transport that whips our hearts into shape, funnels many more people down streets than can be funneled in cars, has no pollution, and costs governments and individuals an absolute pittance, you won't ask where it stops, but how close to 100% the bike modal share can possibly go and what we must do to achieve that.
It's a beautiful day for a bike ride
December 12, 2014

6sqft Gift Guide: Insane Big Rig Exer-Desk Generates 100 Watts of Electricity

Do you have a friend who, year after year, promises that they'll work harder and exercise more? Pedal Power's kick-ass Big Rig exer-desk might be exactly what they need to stick with those new year's resolutions. This cool desk is totally "off-grid" and has the potential to generate up to 100 watts of electricity for one motivated user. And because it's modeled off an actual high-performance bike, it features an ergonomic seat for comfort, quick adjustments for different riders, a flywheel to smooth pedaling, and a wide range of gearing—meaning your giftee could easily go from tubby to Tour de France cyclist before the new year's close.
Find out more about the bike here
December 12, 2014

This Suspended Tent Gives New Meaning to “Sleeping Among the Trees”

What happens when you combine an idea for a multi-story camping tent with the childlike love for treehouses? You get this fanciful creation known as Vista, a suspended "tree tent" or "portable treehouse" that allows campers to sleep among the trees (literally). Designed by British tent makers Tentsile, the suspended tent hangs between trees with a series of straps and ratchets. The basic unit has a roof and insect mesh, but isn't fully sealed on the sides to give the true experience of being one with nature. To add more stories to the tent structure, additional units can be attached underneath.
Learn more about the Vista tent
December 12, 2014

Ridgewood Gets Its Fourth Historic District with 990 Buildings

On the heels of the recent landmarks controversy, Queens' hottest new neighborhood just got its fourth landmarked historic district, the Central Ridgewood Historic District. The 40-block, 990-building area joins Ridgewood's three existing historic districts, Ridgewood North, Ridgewood South, and Stockholm Street. The district includes buildings along Madison Street and Catalpa Avenue, as well as others, which were recognized by the Landmarks Preservation Commission for exemplifying working class housing. Most of the Renaissance Revival brick row houses were built by German immigrants between 1906 and World War I.
More on Ridgewood's newest historic district
December 11, 2014

Biographer Couple Lists Artsy Central Park Duplex at Gainsborough Studios for $6M

Biographers Edmund and Sylvia Jukes Morris have just listed their duplex apartment at the exclusive Gainsborough Studios for $6 million. The stunning space promises to be a treat for all seasons with gigantic windows offering indescribable views of Central Park that will take your breath away. Yes, a place like this is so inspiring it would turn anyone into an artist.
Take a look inside, here
December 11, 2014

Telecom Mogul Michael Hirtenstein Combines Three Apartments into One Elegant Tribeca Triplex

Designer Amy Lau recently completed an impressive mid-century triplex in NYC's downtown neighborhood of Tribeca. The apartment belongs to Michael Hirtenstein, a high-rolling telecom mogul, who, upon seeing it, knew he had to make the massive space his own. The apartment was originally purchased by Mr. Hirtenstein for $16.5 million dollars as three separate units before he combined them into one massive apartment for an unknown amount of money. This gorgeously designed home spells luxury in every detail and features exquisite furnishings throughout. Combining pieces from bespoke, mid-century modern and contemporary designers, this space tells a unique story represented by many points of view.
Get a closer look inside
December 11, 2014

Bates Masi + Architects Renovated the Far Pond Residence with Hurricane-Proof Prefabricated Panels

The stunning Far Pond Residence has a naturally weathered wood skin and large windows overlooking layers of wetlands, an estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. Located on a half-acre site on the east end of Long Island in Southampton, this modern family dwelling is actually a renovated 1970s kit house. Its extension and tasteful modernization was designed by Bates Masi + Architects, who used prefabricated materials and new technologies that minimized waste and elevated the experience of inhabiting the space.
Learn more about the prefab home extension