Architecture And Design

August 4, 2014

Greenland Forest City Partners Selects COOKFOX and Thomas Balsley for Pacific Park Brooklyn (Formerly Atlantic Yards)

Forest City Ratner Companies and Greenland USA, a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Greenland Group, announced today that their new joint venture, Greenland Forest City Partners, has selected COOKFOX Architects to design two residential buildings at their Pacific Park Brooklyn project. They've also chosen Thomas Balsley Associates to design the site's eight-acre public park, which will be called Pacific Park. Formerly known as Atlantic Yards, Pacific Park Brooklyn will be a 22-acre site anchored by the Barclays Center and containing 8 million square feet of mixed-use development. The public park will be revealed in phases, with permanent and temporary installations. COOKFOX has begun the design for its two residential buildings-- 550 Vanderbilt Avenue, set to feature 275 condominiums, and 535 Carlton Avenue, which will have approximately 300 affordable rentals. Construction is expected to begin on the latter this December, with 550 Vanderbilt not far behind. A third residential building will be designed by SHoP Architects, who were the minds behind the Barclays Center, at 30 Sixth Avenue with another 300 affordable rentals.
Much more on the project here
August 4, 2014

Prices and More Images of the Landmark Beekman Hotel and Condo Conversion Revealed

It was announced back in May that the Beekman Hotel would finally being seeing its rebirth as a brand new condo and hotel. Now, not only has pricing for the 68-unit tower been revealed, but we're seeing a few new images of what's in store for the historic structure that has been shuttered for the last 20 years. As seen in the new renderings, the landmark building will be topped off with a conjoining 51-story condominium tower, creating a 68 residential units designed by Thomas Juul-Hansen. Though fully integrated, residents of the Beekman will have their own private entrance and lobby, located on Nassau Street, and the lower levels of the building will host 287 hotel rooms with a separate access point provided on Beekman Street. All occupants will have access to the hotel's amenities.
Find out more here
August 3, 2014

Say Goodbye to Writer’s Block in Cooper Joseph Studio’s Writer’s Studio

It's not easy working from home as a writer with distractions like family, cell phones, emails, and the myriad of other interruptions that modern life creates. But Cooper Joseph Studio created a place to escape and be one with the keyboard. Nestled in a serene setting in Ghent, New York, the Writer's Studio is the perfect one-person getaway for meditation, writing, or any type of creation expression one might fancy. The single-room studio is a rectangular volume that overlooks ponds and fields on one side and the deep woods on the other. Each façade is specifically designed to highlight its views, and the minimalist interior is accented by walnut and black slate detailing.
More about this writer's dream home straight ahead
August 1, 2014

A Boardwalk Connects Historic Buildings at Bates Masi + Architects’ Mothersill Home

Elevated, wooden boardwalks are a common site along the beaches and dunes of Eastern Long Island. Their simple, resilient construction carefully negotiates the changing terrain, allowing accessibility to the sandy shores and deep blue sea. Bates Masi + Architects takes this vernacular design esthetic to a new level in their beautiful Mothersill home, which uses a boardwalk to connect the main property with sunbathing terraces, a pool, and two historic wooden shelters by renowned architect Andrew Geller.
More about the Mothersill home here
August 1, 2014

Soo Chan’s Soori High Line Will Offer 16 Private, Heated Swimming Pools

Forget public pools and health clubs, the Soori High Line will offer private, heated swimming pools in 16 of its ultra-posh residences. Soo Chan, principal of Singapore-based SCDA Architects, has already made a name for himself in Asia as the pool master, designing towers with up to 120 private swimming holes. Now Chan's water-inspired interiors have also come to the surface in New York. The 11-story, 27-unit building at 522 West 19th Street will feature 16 pools ranging in size from 23 to 26 feet long, 7 to 9 feet wide, and 4 feet deep.
More about the Soori's pools this way
August 1, 2014

NYC Events 8/1: Neon in Chinatown; A Convergence of Art, Music and Technology

Happy August! Celebrate the new month with all the fine art that New York has to offer. Tonight you can hit up a historic artist residence in the West Village, immerse yourself in edgy urban art in Williamsburg, and then party in a wild world of neon in Chinatown for a full-on New York art experience. Once you recover from all your Friday folly, start your weekend by taking pictures around the new Arles del Rio sculptures in Times Square. After that, head to Brooklyn for the opening reception and party for Justice, a new project by a roster of incredible women. Then wrap up next week with Clouds in a Cloudless Sky, an installation event where art, music and technology converge.
All the best events here
August 1, 2014

Rogers Marvel Architects Separate Public and Family Spaces in Their East Fifth Street Penthouse

When Rogers Marvel Architects set out to combine and design this East Fifth Street top-floor renovation/penthouse addition, they wanted to create two separately functioning spaces. The entrance was moved to the penthouse, which houses the public zone--the kitchen, dining room, and formal living room. Downstairs is the family zone, with two bedroom/bathroom wings, one for the adults and the other for children, located off a central family and play room. The public spaces are outfitted with sleek, modern décor, while the private, family rooms are decidedly more playful.
Tour the rest of this East Village duplex
July 31, 2014

Sharif El-Gamal Commissions Jean Nouvel to Design Islam Museum Next to WTC

Sharif El-Gamal, CEO of real estate developer Soho Properties, announced today that his company acquired 49-51 Park Place from Consolidated Edison for $10.7 million. He also confirmed that none other than Pritzker Prize-winning starchitect Jean Nouvel will be designing the site's three-story Islam museum and prayer space.
More on the breaking development
July 31, 2014

New St. Mark’s Bookshop is a “Twist” on an Old Favorite

When the neighborhood institution St. Mark's Bookshop was struggling to pay its sky-high rent back in 2011, it asked landlord Cooper Union for a break to prevent having to relocate from its iconic 3rd Avenue and East 9th Street location. The institution wouldn't budge, so the East Village and book-loving communities banded together in an attempt to save the store. Though after petitions, cash mobs, and celebrity visits, the owners announced in March that they'd be moving their shop to 136 East 3rd Street at Avenue A. Longtime patrons were nervous about the new outpost, which recently opened its doors in the historic First Houses complex, but the contemporary design by Clouds Architecture Office does not disappoint. The undulating bookshelves snake through the shop, encouraging customers to peruse the eclectic collection of literature and freeing up interior space for neighborhood events. Through the storefront windows, the colorful books pop against the stark-white shelves, a true feast for the eyes.
More on the clever design ahead
July 31, 2014

The Bariseur: A Hybrid Coffee Brewer-Alarm Clock That Wakes You Up with a Fresh Cup of Joe

If you dread waking up to the painful buzz of an alarm clock, this new design might be the way make your morning hustle a slower, more delightful experience. Envisioned by British designer Joshua Renouf, The Bariseur is a coffee brewer and an alarm clock all in one. This unique hybrid machine will wake you up with a freshly brewed cup, letting you enjoy a few more minutes in bed.
Learn more about The Bariseur
July 30, 2014

Starchitects Aren’t to Blame for “Ruining” the Skyline

So often it's the starchitects who get a bad name--for ruining city skylines with their larger-than-life towers, for obscuring park views, or for neglecting to take into account their surroundings. But a new opinion piece in the New York Times by Allison Arieff argues that the blame can't be solely placed on these so-called starchitects, but rather on the architecture community at large.
Read more about Arieff's case here
July 30, 2014

PARA-Project’s Haffenden House is a Tranquil Writers Studio and Modern Day Ice House

The Haffenden House by PARA-Project, a tranquil writers studio in Syracuse, New York, was designed as a place for two poets to find respite and inspiration. Located on a typical suburban street, the modern, white rectangular structure stands out against the more traditional homes to its left and right. The architect has stated that "The project finds itself within the suburban realm, referencing Gianni Pettena’s Ice House from 1972, as a blank spot within the repetitive image of 'house.'"
Tour the rest of the contemporary abode
July 30, 2014

Paolo Venturella’s Flex Tower Twists to Soak Up Sunlight

It's 2040 in New York City, and the metropolis' population has doubled over, thereby drastically increasing energy consumption. How do architects alter their designs to deal with this new landscape? Italian architect Paolo Venturella thinks he's come up with the answer to this (currently hypothetical) conundrum. The Flex Tower concept combines the need for housing with a sustainable energy system that uses a new typology for photovoltaic panels. At ground level the structure is in keeping with the traditional street grid, but as it rises it rotates toward the sun to position the panels correctly.
More about the curving creation this way
July 30, 2014

Tour Tommy Hilfiger’s Lavish Plaza Penthouse

When we think of Tommy Hilfiger we might imagine him in an all-American, red-white-and-blue outfit, standing in a nautical seashore cottage, but his penthouse at the Plaza couldn't be any more the opposite than this vision. Instead of paintings of beach scenes there are Basquiats and Warhols (20 of the latter, to be exact); rather than white-washed walls there are entire rooms clad in marble; and instead of simple, shabby chic bedrooms there are opulent personal retreats that could fit entire NYC apartments within their footprint. In short, Mr. Hilfiger's city residence is nothing short of regal. He and his wife Dee Ocleppo purchased and combined three separate units in 2008, and they then embarked on a massive renovation of the duplex to emulate the old-world style of the landmarked building.
Take a tour through this magnificent home and see if the couple lived up to goal
July 29, 2014

You Can Design Next Year’s City of Dreams Pavilion on Governors Island

Calling all designers and architects! The AIANY Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) is now accepting entries for The City of Dreams 2015 Pavilion Design Competition. This year, FIGMENT has teamed up with ENYA and SEAofNY to host a contest that invites creatives to design and construct an architectural pavilion for next year's City of Dreams. The winning designer will be the 5th to create a project for annual event, following in the footsteps of other notables such as StudioKCA with their 2013 work, 'Head in the Clouds', which also won a Best of Year award from Interior Design Magazine in the installation category. Don't miss out on a chance to create an unforgettable space for this incredible playground of art and culture.
Submission details here
July 29, 2014

First Look Inside Zaha Hadid’s Futuristic Condos Planned for the High Line

Whether or not you're a fan of Zaha Hadid, or Neo-Futurism for that matter, if you're believer that a building's interior should be a seamless extension of its exterior (read: not New York by Gehry), you'll appreciate Zaha's efforts to turn her High Line project into a work worthy of architecture history books. One of the most (if not the most) talked about starchitect projects planned for the elevated park, plenty of full view renderings have surfaced since it was announced just over a year ago. But it looks like we're finally getting a taste of what the inside could look like, courtesy of Curbed. Like its ultra-futuristic exteriors, Zaha's luxurious condos will be just as sleek and spaceship-like as the outside, with undulating surfaces all throughout, and featuring many of the mind-boggling forms we've come to appreciate Ms. Hadid for.
More views inside
July 29, 2014

Specht Harpman’s Eiche Residence Uses Simple Lines to Create a Calming East Village Hideaway

It's no secret that the East Village is the go-to neighborhood for NYU students and recent grads looking to mix, mingle, and party, and that can get a little rowdy at times. But the Eiche Residence by Specht Harpman is a peaceful retreat within this buzzing neighborhood. Simple horizontal and vertical lines mixed with clean volumes and planar surfaces help to maximize space and organize movement through this unusually laid out triplex unit. And with neutral furniture and an abundance of warm, natural wood, the calming feel achieved inside will make you forget that you're even in New York.
See why else we're swooning over this East Village pad
July 28, 2014

Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects’ Bridgehampton Surfside Residence Floats Elegantly Above the Dunes

There is a beautiful, breezy property in Bridgehampton that seems to be floating atop its sandy site. Called the Surfside Residence, this stunning home was designed by local studio Stelle Lomont Rouhani Architects as a retreat from all the hustle and bustle of daily life. Clad in wood and featuring two levels, just about every room in this abode boasts jaw-dropping views of the ocean. If you want to take a little mental break from today's grind, take a tour of this gorgeous house with us—the pictures alone are guaranteed to put you in a more peaceful state.
Tour the home here
July 28, 2014

INTERVIEW: George Schieferdecker Talks to Us About One Vandam and BKSK’s Future Projects

When it comes designing for contextual relevance (and Landmarks love), BKSK is a firm favored by many developers. BKSK was founded back in 1985 when three Columbia architecture students decided they wanted to apply the progressive design principles they were seeing in their studies to the New York City landscape. Fast forward to nearly three decades later, and this trio has blossomed into a full-fledged, six-partner practice with a penchant for residential designs. One of BKSK's current condo projects, One Vandam, is now on the rise and is getting plenty of attention for its slab on base design and syncopated glass and limestone facade. Though the design is much more modern than their previous works, One Vandam does pay homage to its dynamic locale. We recently caught up with one of BKSK's partners, George Schieferdecker, to find out what inspired One Vandam's design, to hear a bit about how New York has changed since BKSK first started its practice in the 80s, and to get the scoop on what's up next for the studio.
Read our interview with George here
July 28, 2014

Brooklyn Family Expands Fort Greene Townhouse with Airy Garden Pavilion by O’Neill McVoy Architects

Few things look more out of place than a clunky new addition to a beautiful historic house, especially in a neighborhood as quaint and peaceful as tree-lined Fort Greene. So when the owners of this 19th-century townhouse wanted to expand and make room for two growing teenage daughters, they sought out a team who could do it seamlessly: Beth O'Neill and Chris McVoy of O'Neill McVoy Architects.
Check out the lovely new addition straight ahead
July 28, 2014

William Pedersen of KPF Strives to Design the Perfect Chair with Loop de Loop

If the name William Pedersen sounds familiar, it should. The 76-year-old architect is a founder and partner of Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the powerhouse architecture firm behind massive building projects like One Vanderbilt and the cluster of 16 skyscrapers coming to the Hudson Yards. Though Pedersen has made a name for himself changing international skylines with his monumental structures, to our surprise, he also dabbles in industrial design. This year, Pedersen staffed his own booth at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair and presented, for the first time, his new furniture collection called Loop de Loop. The series features a set of incredible chairs made with dramatically curved carbon-steel forms that resemble the forward movement of a body in motion.
Learn more about the design
July 26, 2014

Sunny Park Slope Townhouse Gets an Artsy Makeover from The Brooklyn Home Company

From making the list of most popular baby names, to having whole stores devoted to its wares, Brooklyn has become quite the brand these days. But for a classic feel of living in the borough that bucks trends, we can always look to The Brooklyn Home Company for their tasteful, functional, and timeless spaces — like this stunning 5th Street Park Slope townhouse. The firm undertook the entire interior/exterior renovation, as well as the nine-foot extension that was added to the garden and parlor floors, those which the building owners occupy. They transformed the space with a mix of historic and modern details, custom built-ins, and impressive millwork. During the demolition, the original beams were discovered behind the drop ceiling, a feature that was left exposed and now anchors the entire living space.
Take a tour through the rest of this expertly crafted home
July 25, 2014

Add a Pop of Color to Your Home with These Fun Legato Cabinets

Storage space is usually a challenge for New Yorkers, but finding attractive cabinetry is even harder. If you've been looking for something more than what's on IKEA's showroom floor, look no further. This cool contemporary design called 'Legato' comes courtesy of the folks over at Claesson Koivisto Rune. The designers wanted to create a piece that was not only eye-catching, but functional and adaptable to a home's ever-changing storage needs.
Read more about the design here