Architecture And Design

Dorm architecture: Admiring avant-garde student housing designs in New York

Image courtesy of SOM by James Ewing

September 6, 2016

Dorm architecture: Admiring avant-garde student housing designs in New York

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Historically, college dorms have been characterized by anything but great architecture. While many older institutions rent out rooms (“cells” may be a more apt description) in neo-gothic structures, newer institutions tend to house students in some of the world’s least inspiring modernist buildings (for an example, head over to the I.M. Pei towers that dominate NYU’s University Village). More recently, however, at least some colleges and universities have begun to acknowledge that where students live may have an impact on their performance. Financially savvy institutions have also started to link student housing options to student retention rates. As a result, on many campuses, drab gray concrete structures with prison-size windows are finally giving way to light, glass and wood and to an entirely new range of built-in amenities. This means that whether or not all students know it, a growing number of them are now living in buildings on the cutting edge of contemporary design.
Ahead, we highlight some of the best and most innovative in the new york area
Mogul vs. mogul: Is Douglas Durst trying to stop Barry Diller’s offshore park?
September 6, 2016

Mogul vs. mogul: Is Douglas Durst trying to stop Barry Diller’s offshore park?

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Once again in the news is media mogul Barry Diller's futuristic offshore cultural pier development at Pier 55 on the Hudson River. The proposed park project, known informally as Diller Park after its main backer, who is chairman of IAC/InterActiveCorp and is married to fashion designer Diane Von Furstenburg, is helmed by the Hudson River Park Trust. The New York Times reports that the project’s main opponent, a civic group called The City Club of New York, may have an equally powerful backer. According to Diller, there is a deep-pocketed "hidden hand” funding the legal actions against the park. In a recent interview, Diller said, “The backer of all this is one Douglas Durst.”
Find out more
Upstate home built in 1730 by a Revolutionary War captain asks $1.25M
September 4, 2016

Upstate home built in 1730 by a Revolutionary War captain asks $1.25M

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$1.25 million won't just buy you this home at 100 Old Lake Street in West Harrison, New York, it'll buy you a piece of history (h/t CIRCA). According to the listing, the oldest portion of this pre-Revolutionary War home is said to have been originally built in 1730 by Captain William Shelley and his brothers--they fought at Merritt Hill, the site of the Battle of White Plains, during the Revolutionary War. The house has since been expanded and modernized, although the building still has its original structural details.
Take a look at the historic interior
Developer proposes floating glass restaurant for Hudson River’s Glenwood Power Plant
September 2, 2016

Developer proposes floating glass restaurant for Hudson River’s Glenwood Power Plant

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Glenwood Power Plant was built in 1906 in Yonkers atop of 6,000 piles in the Hudson River for the electrification of the New York Central Railroad from Grand Central. After sitting vacant since the 1960s, the complex began a new incarnation in 2013 when developer Lela Goren embarked on a project to transform it into The Plant, a one million+ square foot conference, event, retreat, and performance venue, preserving its Romanesque Revival architecture and cultural history. Another local developer, however, has a vision of their own--to suspend a glass cube from Glenwood's two smoke stacks and have it function as a floating restaurant. First shared by ArchDaily, the conceptual plan from Big Foot Developers "aims to blend architecture and nature while having a minimal impact on the view of the site."
More details this way
FXFowle’s NOMA condo rises in ‘neo-Bauhaus’ style at the crossroads of Manhattan
August 31, 2016

FXFowle’s NOMA condo rises in ‘neo-Bauhaus’ style at the crossroads of Manhattan

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Earlier this year, sales launched at The NOMA, a 55-unit ground-up condominium developed by Alchemy Properties and designed by Daniel Kaplan of FXFowle Architects. The 24-story building is distinguished by a gray-brick skin and ribbons of gridded windows that pay homage the area's industrious roots. The "neo-Bauhaus" exterior references the older loft buildings from the early 19th century, the clean lines of the Bauhaus movement, and the massing of the parade of newer residential towers that have cropped up along Sixth Avenue in Nomad.
Get the full scoop on the building
Kate Spade founder’s boho East Village townhouse returns as a $40,000/month rental
August 31, 2016

Kate Spade founder’s boho East Village townhouse returns as a $40,000/month rental

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We'll take any opportunity to admire the four-story townhouse at 215 East 12th Street in the East Village, just south of the bustle of Union Square, and its appearance on the rental market for $40,000 a month is as good an excuse as any. Just a few months ago, the townhouse owned by Pamela Bell, one of the founders of fashion brand Kate Spade, popped up for sale at $16 million accompanied by many pretty pictures of its gently renovated historic-chic interiors and beautifully-preserved 1800s origins. Bell bought the house in 2007 for $4.3 million, so there's a tidy sum to be made if it snags a buyer; in the meantime, renters get a chance to experience nine-bedroom garden-filled townhouse living in a vibrant, 24-hour neighborhood.
Take the tour
Bono: A stylish aluminum composter perfectly sized for your countertop
August 29, 2016

Bono: A stylish aluminum composter perfectly sized for your countertop

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Composting in New York City can be challenging to say the least. Not only are you dealing with the constant changing of the seasons, but space in this densely packed town is also sparse. However, with every challenge is also an opportunity, and much like many of the other problems associated with these limitations we look to design to keep us moving in the right direction. On the composting front Polish designer Ala Sieradzka's as made for us Bono, a compact countertop composter spun from powder-coated aluminum that comes with an equally stylish cork lid and base.
learn more here
Fashion Stylist Scott Newkirk Goes Unplugged in His 14×14 Rough-Hewn Cabin
August 28, 2016

Fashion Stylist Scott Newkirk Goes Unplugged in His 14×14 Rough-Hewn Cabin

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For many city dwellers bogged down by the hustle and bustle of everyday life, vacations are spent offline in far-away places, disconnected from technology and reconnected to nature. But fashion and interior stylist Scott Newkirk proves you don't have to go that far to have your own unplugged woodland dream. Located in Yulan, New York, just 90 miles northwest of NYC, Newkirk's charming wooden cabin is a mere 14x14 feet and is made entirely from salvaged and reclaimed pieces of wood.
Learn more about this rough and ready cabin
Where I Work: Inside Thompson Square Studios, Soho’s members-only co-working space
August 26, 2016

Where I Work: Inside Thompson Square Studios, Soho’s members-only co-working space

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6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we take a tour Thompson Square Studios, a private members club-style co-working space in Soho. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! After starting his career as an architect in London, Robert Herrick went on to found Visualhouse, a "creative ideas" agency focusing on the architecture and design fields, in 2006. With offices now in London, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Hong Kong, Visualhouse has produced work from branding campaigns to digital renderings for the likes of Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, and Rafael Vinoly. In 2013, Robert took his expertise and created the Thompson House Group with the goal of delivering private member experiences in workspaces, hotels, and restaurants. The Group's first project was Thompson Square Studios, a "private member club for work and play." Unlike traditional co-working spaces, the Studio has a membership board that selects tenants from the creative industries based on what they can bring to the collective whole. 6sqft recently caught up with CEO and founder Robert, who took us on a tour of the impeccably designed space filled with copper accents, industrial decor, and sleek yet moody furniture. We also got a look at how Visualhouse operates within the club.
Tour the space and hear from Robert
A charming former schoolhouse asks just $310K in Upstate New York
August 26, 2016

A charming former schoolhouse asks just $310K in Upstate New York

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This brick schoolhouse—located at 2 Moffat Road, in the upstate town of Blooming Grove—served students all the way from 1870 to the 1960s. Then, it was converted into a residence before getting a second makeover in the 1990s. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom home, which sits on nearly an acre of land, is true country living, with an interior decorated with exposed, reclaimed wood beams, a cathedral ceiling, wide plank wood floors and a wood burning fireplace. $310,000 won't get you much more than a studio in New York City, but it'll buy you this old school located just 70 minutes outside Manhattan.
Take a tour
City releases Midtown East Rezoning plan; could add 16 new towers

Conceptual image depicting all the proposed sites of the East Midtown rezoning fully built out. Courtesy CityRealty

August 25, 2016

City releases Midtown East Rezoning plan; could add 16 new towers

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After Mayor Bloomberg's failed 2013 attempt, the city has released its long-awaited Midtown East Rezoning plan, a controversial upzoning of the area bound by Madison and Third Avenues and 39th and 50th Streets, which would encourage taller, more modern office towers in an area that many feel is no longer attracting commercial tenants. According to Crain's, their proposal, the first step in the formal rezoning process, would allow the tallest buildings around Grand Central, increasing the maximum density by 30 percent. Along Park Avenue and near subway stations north of the Terminal, density would be increased, too. The proposal also will permit owners of landmarked buildings to sell their air rights across the district, rather than just to adjacent properties like the current law dictates.
More details ahead
Will a (rent stabilized) Williamsburg address make a shower in the kitchen hip?
August 25, 2016

Will a (rent stabilized) Williamsburg address make a shower in the kitchen hip?

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It's always fun when yet another listing with a shower in the kitchen surfaces; 6sqft has covered versions of the quirky New York City phenomenon previously. The East Village and LES are the usual suspects, and this Bed-Stuy brownstone home makes the kitchen shower look positively chic. But once again, lovely, expensive Williamsburg draws the short straw. For a mere $1,574 a month ($1,604 for a two-year lease), you, too, can discover the joys of the shower beer. To be fair, the one-bedroom at 18 Skillman Avenue has some definite selling points. It's rent stabilized, for one, and the neighborhood is popular, convenient (except for that year without the L train) and fun.
The apartment's actually pretty cute
Summer work on Barry Diller-funded futuristic offshore park complete
August 24, 2016

Summer work on Barry Diller-funded futuristic offshore park complete

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Work on the Barry Diller-funded Pier55 park is advancing nicely, even after being slapped with a lawsuit and a stop work order in June. As the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) and Pier55 Inc. announced this afternoon, the first nine piles propping up the 2.7-acre undulating park have been installed. Per the pair's press release, the milestone marks the completion of summer work and is part of the initial work of the first phase of construction.
more on the progress here
BioLight’s PizzaDome brings wood-fired pizza to your campground
August 23, 2016

BioLight’s PizzaDome brings wood-fired pizza to your campground

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While the majority of the NYC's five boroughs are a rough and tumble concrete jungle, just beyond the bridges, highways and waterways, city slickers can find solace in the tranquil forests of the northeast. However, there are some city conveniences, if given the option, we'd never want leave behind, and good pizza is definitely one of them. To add to their already cool roster of camping gadgetry, BioLight bring us "PizzaDome," the very first portable wood-fired pizza oven designed specifically for the campground.
READ MORE
Tour the American Copper Buildings’ skybridge and roof, first look at its floating lap pool
August 19, 2016

Tour the American Copper Buildings’ skybridge and roof, first look at its floating lap pool

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After last week's rush of news surrounding the American Copper Buildings--the launch of its affordable housing lottery for 160 units and the first reveal of its interior renderings--6sqft decided to take a tour inside the SHoP Architects-designed project. JDS Development Group's dancing East River towers have become best known for their copper facade (made up of 5,000 metal panels) and its three-story, amenity-filled skybridge that hovers 300 feet above the site at 626 First Avenue. Not only did we walk through the bridge, but we also took a peek at the buildings' already greening copper patina, had a first look at the lap pool on the 28th floor that will float between the towers, and also checked out the insane views from the roof.
See it all this way
Car company MINI creates stylish, micro co-living concept
August 19, 2016

Car company MINI creates stylish, micro co-living concept

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Automotive manufacturer MINI began as a solution to a global oil crisis, and now the company is looking to address another major issue--a lack of attractive, affordable housing in urban settings. Not surprisingly, they've turned to a micro version of co-living. Called MINI LIVING, the installation showcases 323-square-foot apartments with fold-out shelving units that serve multiple purposes and blur the lines behind public and private in what they're calling a larger "micro-neighborhood."
Take a look around the space
LEESER Architecture dreams up an 80-story supertall for Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s site
August 18, 2016

LEESER Architecture dreams up an 80-story supertall for Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s site

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In April, initial details were released about Downtown Brooklyn's Macy's $100 million interior makeover, which included new columns, fluted ceilings, metal and glass entrance canopies, and video screens surrounding the escalators. This came after Tishman Speyer inked a $170 million deal with the department store in January, in which they'll remodel the 11-story Art Deco building's top five floors into offices. As part of the deal, Tishman also took control of the connecting Hoyt Street parking garage, a site that was speculated may give way to a supertall, mixed-use tower. Today, CityRealty.com posted a set of renderings from architecture firm LEESER showing a glassy tower rising from the existing department store. Although it is not the design being considered by Tishman Speyer, it does give us a taste of the type of modern development that could climb from the coveted DoBro address.
See more renderings
Your First Look at 2016’s Open House New York Sites!
August 17, 2016

Your First Look at 2016’s Open House New York Sites!

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Here's a sneak peek at the more than 250 sites that have made it onto 2016's highly anticipated Open House New York Weekend (OHNY), a two-day festival where usually off limits buildings across the city's five boroughs open their doors to the public for tours, talks, and exploration. Now in its 14th year, OHNY has brought back a number of beloved locales to their roster, including the NY State Pavilion, the Brooklyn Army Terminal, City Hall and Google; they've also rounded up a number of brand-new spaces like the Metropolitan Opera House and the West Village's Westbeth Artists House. The full list won't be released for another few weeks, but we've got some of the highlights ahead.
More sites opening their doors this way
Connecticut Lighthouse up for Auction Could Be Transformed Into a Home
August 17, 2016

Connecticut Lighthouse up for Auction Could Be Transformed Into a Home

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There are just a select few opportunities to live in a lighthouse outside of New York City—$1.5 million could get you a red lighthouse upstate; $425,000 buys a lighthouse and tugboat in West Haven, CT. It's not everyday these properties come around, but the government is currently auctioning off six of its lighthouses and one, the Penfield Reefer Lighthouse, is located just 60 miles away from Midtown Manhattan.
It was built in the 1870s
Excavation Work Begins at One Vanderbilt, Follow Its Progress on Instagram
August 17, 2016

Excavation Work Begins at One Vanderbilt, Follow Its Progress on Instagram

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Last week, a $1.1 billion lawsuit against One Vanderbilt was settled, giving the green light to the 1,401-foot project. Investors at Grand Central Terminal led the suit, claiming that the tower would divest them of the value of their air rights if developer SL Green was was allowed to proceed with construction as it was cleared to do under the controversial Midtown East Rezoning. Now that it's been dismissed, NY Yimby reports that excavation work is underway at the site of Midtown's future tallest tower, at the corner of 42nd Street and Vanderbilt Avenue. And Curbed points out that architecture buffs can stay apprised of construction progress through the building's new Instagram page.
Check out some construction shots
Where I Work: Tour Brooklyn wallpaper company Flavor Paper’s fun and futuristic ‘lair’
August 16, 2016

Where I Work: Tour Brooklyn wallpaper company Flavor Paper’s fun and futuristic ‘lair’

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6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we take a tour of the Cobble Hill studio of colorful wallpaper company Flavor Paper. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! Nestled among the charming streets and quaint rowhouses of Cobble Hill is the headquarters of a wallpaper company that's taken the art to a completely new level. Flavor Paper was founded in 2003 in New Orleans before moving to Brooklyn nine years ago. What started out as an attempt to salvage old equipment from a hand-screened wallpaper company on the Oregon coast has morphed into an internationally recognized brand--known for its bright colors, bold patterns, and plain-old fun aesthetic--with over 156 designs and collaborations with the likes of Lenny Kravitz and the Andy Warhol Foundation. 6sqft recently toured what the company calls their "Flavor Lair" (it houses their production facilities, offices and showroom) and chatted with founder Jon Sherman about what sets Flavor Paper apart from other wallpaper manufacturers, why he calls Brooklyn home, and the backstory on some of the most popular designs. We also got a sneak peak into Jon's personal home, a sexy abode located above the Skylab Architecture-designed Lair.
Take the tour this way
Hudson Heights’ Famed Cliffside ‘Pumpkin House’ Returns for $5.3M
August 15, 2016

Hudson Heights’ Famed Cliffside ‘Pumpkin House’ Returns for $5.3M

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So titled for its window pattern that resembles a jack-o'-lantern (especially when lit up at night), this funky home in Hudson Heights has long been a hot topic in the real estate scene thanks to its unusual location extending over a cliff near the highest point in Manhattan, just north of the George Washington Bridge. Built around 1925, the 17-foot-wide brick house was purchased in 2000 for $1.1 million by interior decorator William Spink. After doing a good deal of structural renovation, he listed it for $3.45 million in 2005, but after failing to sell, tried again in 2010 for $3.9 million. It sold the following year and is now back on the market asking $5.25 million.
Take a look around and learn more about the Pumpkin House's history
Design Firm Décor Aid Helps a Soho Couple Turn an Outdated Duplex Into a Modern Multitasking Home
August 14, 2016

Design Firm Décor Aid Helps a Soho Couple Turn an Outdated Duplex Into a Modern Multitasking Home

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While the company's name might sound like a designers' fund-raising rock concert, the method offered by design firm Décor Aid simplifies renovation and redecorating for clients like the Soho resident who needed to hit refresh on the downtown Manhattan apartment that serves so many functions for himself and his girlfriend–and their four-legged companion. The stale duplex emerged as a stylish and user-friendly home base, office and entertaining space with the help of these savvy and straight-shooting design pros.
See more of the striking results
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