Architecture And Design

September 8, 2014

Cliffs Notes on New York’s Most Famous Storied Residential Buildings

The newest apartment houses, be it now or some 150 years ago has always been of great interest to New York buyers and renters. And like today, their appeal make sell-outs as easy as pie. From Manhattan's very first apartment building to those that followed a decade or so later, those initial projects continue to remain the city's most coveted digs—not to mention the city’s most expensive. But what stands out among these famous buildings as the years passed was the introduction of not-yet-available services—ranging from running water and elevators to electricity and communal amenities. Whether we are talking about the Dakota or the luxurious the Osborne Flats, learn why these century-plus-old buildings continue to enchant the rich, the famous, and the rest of us.
Click here for Cliffs Notes on NYC's most historic homes

September 8, 2014

A Chef and a Sculptor Balance Work and Home in This Elizabeth Roberts-Designed Williamsburg Loft

By Michelle Cohen

After years of searching for an industrial space to use as a studio and a comfortable home, a married couple—he's a chef and food writer, she's a sculptor—transformed this 3,500 square-foot ground-floor Williamsburg Loft into a well-balanced live/work space that includes a top tier kitchen and plenty of light and space for creating art.
See how a creative couple makes use of this versatile, comfortable space

September 8, 2014

Frank Gehry Bounces Back from WTC Snub with New Construction Technology Endeavor

By Dana Schulz

It was big news last week that Frank Gehry's designed plans for the Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center were axed by execs of the site. Though he may have felt slightly snubbed, based on quotes he provided to the New York Times, Gehry seemed unaffected overall. His mellow reaction toward the dis is now further substantiated by news that his IT company Gehry Technologies has been acquired by American location technology firm Trimble (the owner of 3D drawing software SketchUp) in order to "transform the construction industry by further connecting the office to on-site construction technologies," according to Trimble.
More on the starchitect's new partnership here

September 7, 2014

MESH Architectures’ Atrium House Will Have You Saying “Toto, I Don’t Think We’re in Williamsburg Anymore”

By Dana Schulz

You're not dreaming; this house is in Williamsburg. In fact, it harkens back to the neighborhood's industrial roots and stays true to the low-scale character of the area. The navy blue cube was originally built as a garage that occupied the entire 22’ x 100’ lot, but when converted to residential use in 2011, NYC zoning regulations mandated that a certain percentage of the site be reserved for a yard. Enter MESH Architectures, the creative firm that devised a genius plan to incorporate the required outdoor space as an inner atrium, letting the outside in while still maintaining a sense of privacy. The central space is composed of two volumes - a double-height great room and the courtyard surrounded by folding-glass doors on three sides. The great room, master bedroom, and bathroom sit behind these glass walls, seamlessly blending the indoors with the zen, outdoor area.
Take a look inside this architectural marvel here

September 5, 2014

Chiat Beach House by HS2 Architecture was Built with an 18th Century Barn Frame

By Dana Schulz

Since it looks like New York's summer heat wave came a little late this year, we decided to feature one of our most swoon-worthy seaside dwellings. The Chiat Beach House by HS2 Architecture is located in the small Southampton town of Sagaponack, notable for being the country's most expensive zip code back in 2009. And though this home might not scream "million dollar listing," it most certainly is something to see, as it's built around an 18th century Vermont barn frame that was salvaged, restored, and re-erected to create the home's striking "great room."
Take a tour around the property

How to Turn Two Distinct Spaces Into One Unique Terrace to Rival the High Line

Image credit: Blondie’s Treehouse

September 5, 2014

How to Turn Two Distinct Spaces Into One Unique Terrace to Rival the High Line

By Alyssa Alimurung

You would think creating an outdoor space right by the High Line would be counterproductive, but after you see this beautiful creation Blondie’s Treehouse built for clients in the Meatpacking District, you’ll think otherwise. Working with 3,000 square feet of contiguous exterior space, Blondie’s designers, Tina Dituri and Charles Casanova were tasked with combining the two distinct areas into […]

Architecture And Design

September 5, 2014

Museum of the City of New York to Premiere Documentary “Rebuilding the World Trade Center”

By Dana Schulz

In advance of the 13th anniversary of 9/11, the Museum of the City of New York will be premiering the documentary Rebuilding the World Trade Center. The 62-minute film features footage shot over the past eight years by artist Marcus Robinson, documenting the work at Ground Zero through the eyes of the construction workers, "from the site managers to those who dug the building’s foundations and the ironworkers who assembled its steel frames." The film will premier at the museum on the evening of Tuesday, September 9th and will be followed by a panel discussion with New York Times reporter James Glanz. It will then premier nationally on the History Channel on September 11th at 6 pm.
More on the documentary and upcoming event

September 4, 2014

Frank Gehry’s Decade-Old Design for the WTC Performing Arts Center Gets Dumped by Officials

By Diane Pham

Frank Gehry continues to fall out of favor with New Yorkers as execs of the Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center have officially shelved the starchitect's design planned for Ground Zero. Gehry drew up plans for the art center over a decade ago and very few moves were made to bring the project to fruition—in part due to stalled fund-raising and delays to the construction of the transit hub which sits under site. The snub, which actually wasn't communicated to the architect directly, seems to not have affected him much, but he had some choice words directed towards the board's president, Maggie Boepple.
More on the drama here

Architecture And Design

September 4, 2014

Ryall Porter Sheridan’s Hamptons Pavilion is Clad in Spanish Cedar

By Dana Schulz

It must be hard to come up with a design to complement an existing log house, but Ryall Porter Sheridan succeeded with their Spanish cedar-clad Hamptons Pavilion. Interestingly, this material is neither Spanish nor cedar, but rather from an evergreen tree in the mahogany family. It's also the traditional material used for making cigar boxes. But despite its confusing moniker, the paneling creates a structure that is both modern and organically connected to the surrounding landscape.
More details on the Hamptons Pavilion right this way

Architecture And Design

September 4, 2014

Unique South Slope Loft Breaks the Mold with a Steel Mezzanine

By Aisha Carter

On a quiet tree-lined block, among the rowhouses of South Slope, you’ll find 459 12th Street. Being a mid-century loft surrounded by turn-of-the-century conversions might already set this building apart from the rest. Yet, unit #3D takes it to the next level, as a previous owner decided to make the most of the high ceilings… and added an entire second floor.
Take a look inside this quirky loft, here

September 3, 2014

REVEALED: SHoP-Designed Condos by Anbau on the Upper East Side

By Dana Schulz

Looks like the Upper East Side will be adding another luxury condo project to its roster--but this time it's an "affordable luxury" building. Located at 1711 First Avenue at East 89th Street, the 34-story building is being designed by SHoP Architects for Anbau Enterprises, who has shared renderings of the project with New York YIMBY. The building will have a bluestone base with a small cantilever over the 89th Street entrance. The rest of the façade will be brick and glass, offering floor-to-ceiling windows without the total curtain wall appearance. The western façade will be slightly glassier than the rest of the building.
More details here

September 3, 2014

Gunn Landscape Architecture to Design the Rooftop of Williamsburg’s Futuristic Level Hotel

By Diane Pham

Williamsburg's upcoming Level Hotel is right on track for its 2016 opening as construction continues moves full speed ahead at 55 Wythe Avenue. Back in July, architects Yohay Albo and Nick Liberis of Albo Liberis LLC were revealed as the brains behind the building's ultra modern form, and it's just been announced that Gunn Landscape Architecture will be taking charge of the expansive rooftop escape that will sit atop the retail pod of the futuristic hotel.
A look at the rooftop design here

September 3, 2014

Historic Renwick Triangle Townhouse in the East Village Asks $7.5 Million

By Aisha Carter

Situated in the St. Mark’s Historic District, 114 East 10th Street and the surrounding Anglo-Italianate houses make up what many consider the most beautiful street in the East Village. Prominent architect James Renwick Jr. designed the original home as part of the distinguished Renwick Triangle back in 1861—some of the last single-family dwellings built in the neighborhood. This gut-renovated, historic townhouse didn’t have the best of luck when it sold for $5 million cash after several price drops from its initial $7 million asking. However, after four years, the six-story townhouse has emerged bright, fresh, and asking $7.5 million.
Take a look inside, here

September 2, 2014

An Endless Spiral Staircase Ties This Spacious David Hotson-Designed Soho Loft Together

By Stephanie Hoina

Anyone who incorporates an 80-foot multi-floor slide into a home and repurposes a riveted steel column into a 50-foot-tall climbing wall in the living room knows how to make the most out of a space in our book. When we saw what architect David Hotson did in the penthouse in FiDi, we were more than happy to check out another Hotson-designed residence: this stunning Soho loft featuring an incredible spiral staircase that winds though the entire home.
What does White and Bright and Stunning Look Like? Read on

September 2, 2014

Frank Lloyd Wright Designs Destined for NYC But Never Built

By Jason Carpenter

Many wonder why such a prolific and famous architect as Frank Lloyd Wright didn't have more buildings in New York City. It's safe to say he wasn't a huge fan of urban density, but how could one possibly create something as iconic as the Guggenheim's spirals without getting any other work in the city? As we showed in a previous post, two Wright designs have actually been demolished. Now, we will look at the two buildings Wright intended for the New York area which were never fully realized—at least, not in Manhattan.
See the Frank Lloyd Wright designs here

September 2, 2014

Green Roofed Pool Pavilion by Gluck+ Heats up with Geothermal Energy

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Just because summer is officially over doesn't mean we've stopped imagining weekend getaways and warm-weather retreats. And the Pool Pavilion in New York´s beautiful Adirondack Mountains along the shores of Lake George is the perfect place to satisfy our daydreams. Design by Gluck+, this elegant recreational structure works as a central gathering space, uniting the existing family and guest houses around a series of exterior and interior spaces. Naturally heated by a deep geothermal well and topped by a luscious green roof, this sustainable shelter blends in beautifully with its rolling environment.
Learn more about the green Pool Pavilion and peek inside

September 2, 2014

Rudolf Stefanich’s SONO Could Help Block Out City Noise and Keep Your Home Quiet

By Diane Pham

If you're one of the many who love city living but constantly curse the stress-inducing sounds of construction, car horns, garbage trucks, and yelling children, SONO will restore your sanity and bring your home to the pin drop quiet, peaceful state only found in the suburbs. Designed by Rudolf Stefanich, this pebble-shaped device could be applied to all of your home's windows, turning them into a comprehensive noise canceling system.
Find out more here

September 2, 2014

REVEALED: 125 Greenwich Street Will Rival One WTC and Become Downtown’s Tallest Residential Tower

By Dana Schulz

The latest in the world of New York City supertalls comes to us from New York YIMBY, who has revealed renderings for the Rafael Viñoly-designed 125 Greenwich Street. At 1,356 feet, it will become Downtown's tallest residential tower, the first to rival the 57th Street skyscrapers like Extell's planned Nordstrom Tower, which will rise 1,479 feet. It will also be just 12 feet shy of One World Trade Center's roof, making it the second tallest skyscraper in the Financial District.
More details and renderings here

September 1, 2014

Robert Young Architecture’s Peaceful Montauk Lake House is Not Your Average Vacation Home

By Patty Lee

There is no shortage of colossal poolside palaces in the Hamptons — it is, after all, where many of New York's rich and famous go to party and play during the dog days of summer. But for those who live in the area full-time — like the growing family of this Montauk lake house — they need homes that are as functional as they are pretty.
Take a quick escape to the lakefront property

August 28, 2014

Thomassons: Those Peculiar Architectural Relics That Serve No Purpose

By Diane Pham

We've all seen them. They're those weird outcrops, stairs, doors and out of place architectural adornments that just have us going "Whaa?" As it turns out, these urban vestiges that serve absolutely no purpose have a name. They're called "Thomassons." Inspired by the recent the Roman Mars 99% Invisible podcast which talked about the urban phenomenon, we decided to scope out some of the Thomassons around New York. What we uncovered is pretty amusing.
All of our findings here

Architecture And Design

August 28, 2014

Leroy Street Studio’s Louver House is a Contemporary Interpretation of the Traditional Barn

By Dana Schulz

Leroy Street Studio was tasked with creating a contemporary Long Island home that responded to their client's passion for barns. The firm infused traditional barn qualities like spacious rooms and repetitive timber frames into the project, while developing a modern structure that was sensitive to its adjacent corn field and close proximity to the ocean. The client also has an affinity for woodworking and asked the architects to build a woodshop on the site. To meet the challenge, several external buildings and interior gardens were added to the plan, creating a separation of space under a unified whole. The result is the Louver House, named for its exterior skin comprised of a series of louvers that let plenty of natural light in while still maintaining privacy. They also create a stunning effect at night, when interior light cascades onto the many outdoor spaces.
More on the modern barn design here

Architecture And Design

August 28, 2014

Giant Magnetic Wall by Slade Architecture Stands out in the Home of Ricky’s NYC’s Former Owner

By Stephanie Hoina

Ricky’s NYC, by its own definition, is “an edgy, ultra-hip ‘beauty shop,’” which also has a somewhat, shall we say, eclectic range of products. So it should come as no surprise that the home of one of its former owners, co-founder Ricky Kenig, is all of those things - edgy, hip, eclectic, beautiful -- and more. Fully renovated by Slade Architecture, the three-story Brooklyn brownstone, known as the Kenig Residence, is full of surprises at every turn, including a gigantic magnetic wall.
More details on the artsy wall and the rest of the trendy pad

August 27, 2014

HS2 Architecture’s Wooster Street Loft: Elegant Furnishings plus Industrial Details Add up to Perfection

By Stephanie Hoina

Sometimes when we’re presented with a blank page, we aren’t sure where to start. Thankfully, when HS2 Architecture set out to transform the entire top floor of a classic Soho building, they knew exactly what they wanted to achieve. When they looked at their blank slate they saw the “opportunity to create a large central sunlit hall with a sculptural steel and walnut stair connecting the living areas to a large private roof-top garden.” This is why we write about architecture and don’t practice it. But lucky for us that means we get to bring you the stunning end result of their vision.
Check out the result of HS2's vision

August 27, 2014

Torafu Architects’ Dice Furniture Goes from a Stool to a Shelf with Just One Roll

By Dana Schulz

If you've ever lived in a small space before you know the importance of having pieces that can multitask-- ottomans that work as both coffee tables and seating, couches that fold into beds, or counters that serve as dining tables and desks. The latest clever hybrid comes from Torafu Architects. Their Dice Furniture collection is designed to accommodate all ages, from toddler to adult, and can be used in three different ways depending on which side it is rested.
See how the attractive multitasker changes function with each roll of the dice

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