Architecture And Design

Even the most cynical, high-strung New Yorkers need a little "namaste" time. If committing to a yoga membership seems like too much, why not get one of these Meditation Tipis, which allow you to "create your own sacred space for meditation, connection, writing, reading and more." Made in Bozeman, Montana by Little Turtle's Tipi, these handmade canvas teepees come with an imitation fur rug and a salt crystal aroma lamp for your favorite essential oils. And with a diameter of only six feet and height of seven, they're perfect for even the smallest apartments.
Find out how to get your own

June 8, 2016

MoMA Announces Major Frank Lloyd Wright Retrospective in 2017 to Mark His 150th Birthday

Today is the 149th anniversary of prolific architect Frank Lloyd Wright's birth, and with next year being the big 150, the Museum of Modern Art has announced a major exhibition in 2017 that will feature roughly 450 works that he created from the 1890s through the 1950s. "Frank Lloyd Wright at 150: Unpacking the Archive" will include architectural drawings, models, building fragments, films, television broadcasts, print media furniture, tableware, textiles, paintings, photographs, and scrapbooks, some of which have rarely or never been exhibited.
Find out more

June 8, 2016

$19.75M for the Former Gramercy Home of the Catholic Sisters of the Immaculate Heart

By Emily Nonko

Yet another religious property has hit the market, although this is no typical church. These two townhouses, at 238 East 15th Street in Gramercy, have long served as the home for the Catholic Sisters of the Immaculate Heart. The sisters bought the first townhouse in 1948 and the second in 1952, combining them with a doorway on each floor. In the years that followed, according to the NY Times, hundreds of the sisters of the Immaculati Cordis Mariae (which began in Belgian) have passed through, decorating the townhouse interiors with souvenirs from missions around the world. Only one sister now lives in the 15,600-square-foot property, which has just hit the market for nearly $20 million.
See the interior

June 7, 2016

One Vanderbilt Will Cost a Whopping $3.14 Billion

Another supertall tower will join the $3 billion+ club. The Real Deal reports that SL Green Realty has pegged the cost of One Vanderbilt, Midtown's future tallest tower, at $3.14 billion. The city's largest office landlord also said it hopes to close on a $1.5 billion construction loan by the end of the summer, leaving $1.64 in equity needed to complete the 1,401-foot tower designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. As TRD notes, One World Trade Center became the world's most expensive office tower in 2014 when it opened with a final cost of around $3.8 billion. Bjarke Ingels' planned High Line tower known as the Spiral is also expected to run over $3 billion.
More details this way

June 7, 2016

Brooklyn Design Firm Creates Dramatic Living Spaces Inside a Williamsburg Loft

By Emily Nonko

Loft apartments have naturally good bones for dramatic living spaces, with those big windows and high ceilings, but the renovation of this 1,300-square-foot Williamsburg pad truly resulted in some breathtaking spaces. The work is by Greenpoint-based design and architecture firm Space Exploration and general contractor Tristan Warner Studios Inc. According to Brownstoner, Space Exploration was initially hired to create a wall-length book shelf for the living room, where the ceiling surpasses 18 feet. The success of the bookshelf -- which was built by a high-end millwork firm in Brooklyn -- inspired the owner to “go forward with the full monte,” said founder of Space Exploration Kevin Greenberg. His full reno enlarged the lofty mezzanine space, while decked out the interior with truly unique custom design touches.
Take a look

June 6, 2016

Interview: Engineer Joseph Gulden Discusses Wooden Skyscrapers Surpassing 1,000 Feet

Could wood one day again be the material of choice for buildings? In response to rising construction costs and climate change, there's been a resurgence of interest in wood construction, with some even saying that we're in the beginnings of a "timber age." Many architects, engineers and builders have started to embrace the material, having erected, or making plans to construct, high-rises that reach several hundred feet in the air. In fact, in April, one architecture firm proposed bringing a 1,000-foot timber tower to London's Barbican. But is wood really a reliable alternative to concrete and steel? What about fire safety? And how tall can we really go at this point in time without compromising a building's structural integrity? To answer these questions and many more, 6sqft decided to pick the brain of DeSimone Project Manager Joseph Gulden. DeSimone is one of the world's leading engineering firms with a roster of top NYC projects that include Zaha Hadid's High Line project, 220 Central Park South and 45 East 22nd Street; Joseph himself is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) as well as a licensed Structural Engineer (SE) with extensive experience constructing in regions with high seismic risk. He's also worked on numerous high-rises and tall wood structures both in the U.S. and abroad. Ahead Joseph discusses some of the challenges and advantages of building with wood, engineered timber, deforestation concerns, and if a wooden supertall will ever be in reach.
read the interview here

June 6, 2016

Condo/Cultural Building Designed by the Late Zaha Hadid Will Rise in West Chelsea

When the architecture community learned of the passing of Zaha Hadid in late March, it came as a bit of consolation that her first and only building in New York, 520 West 28th Street, had already begun to take shape along the High Line, ensuring that her legacy would last in our skyline. In much welcome news, 6sqft learns today that yet another design of hers will rise just three blocks away in Chelsea. A press release from The Moinian Group reveals that more than a year ago they worked with Hadid and her team to explore possibilities for 220 Eleventh Avenue, one of her final creations. The developer announced that the new building will be "a collection of signature loft-like condominium residences, a collection of penthouses and a cultural institution to establish itself as the hub of the world renowned art district that is West Chelsea."
More details this way

June 6, 2016

A Giant Musical Swing Set Is Coming to Brookfield Place This Friday!

If you work downtown or are just looking for a break from the weekday hustle, head to Brookfield Place starting this Friday and channel your inner-child by hopping on one of the many swings of "The Swings: An Exercise in Musical Cooperation" installation. The traveling public artwork is debuting in Manhattan for the first time ever and will be on display for a month for New Yorkers to play on. Designed by studio Daily tous les jours, this interactive work consists of 21 swings, each representing a musical instrument (a harp, vibraphone, guitar or piano) and different notes. The cooperative element of the work requires that participants adjust their movements with respect to one another in order to unlock the perfect melody—a musical work that has been pre-composed by Radwan Ghazi Moumneh.
more on the swings here

June 3, 2016

45 East 22nd Street Tops Out, Officially Tallest Skyscraper Between Midtown and Downtown

Who would have thought the most alluring residential skyscraper addition to the city's post-recession boom would not rise in Midtown, near its overly-discussed Billionaires' Row, or near the city's historical skyscraper center, the Financial District, but rather smack dab between the two at 45 East 22nd Street in the Flatiron. Overlooking Madison Square Park and its turn-of-the-century engineering marvels--the Flatiron Building and Metropolitan Life Building--the svelte glass spire has fully ascended to its full 65-story, 777-foot peak. A malnourished baby on the world stage, the building's height is less than a third of the world's tallest building and will contain a paltry 83 condominium units priced from $2.5 million for a one-bedroom to $38 million for one of its two penthouses.
More on the building this way

Designing This Shingle-Style Home in East Hampton Was a Family Affair for a Young Architect

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

The East Hampton Northwest Woods home is unlike most other projects by CWB Architects. Founding principal Brendan Coburn designed it as the firm was in its infancy, working in collaboration with his father, who was also an architect, and his mother, an interior designer. Its 2,200 square feet are complete with enough space for residents and occasional guests, each bedroom has its own bathroom, and the cupola allows for cross ventilation.
Learn more about this shingle-style home

Architecture And Design

June 3, 2016

Revealed: Morris Adjmi Pens Coffered Facade For Condos Next to Bowlmor Lanes Site

Here's our first look at the Morris Adjmi-designed condos slated for the southwest corner of West 13th Street and University Place in Greenwich Village. The project, tentatively addressed 34 East 13th Street, rubs shoulders with Annabelle Selldorf's 21 East 12th Street condo development, which replaced the large building that held Bowlmor Lanes. Last year, NYREJ reported that Ranger Properties and Sagamore Capital purchased the three-building corner assemblage for $22 million or $1,100 per square foot, one of the most expensive residential development transactions ever downtown.
More details ahead

First Full Look at Nolita’s 75 Kenmare Street, Will Have Lenny Kravitz-Designed Condos

Rendering via the Rinaldi Group

June 2, 2016

First Full Look at Nolita’s 75 Kenmare Street, Will Have Lenny Kravitz-Designed Condos

After getting a peek of its entryway facade in March and announcing that rocker/actor Lenny Kravitz will mold its interior residences, we now have our first full look at DHA Capital's 35-unit condominium 75 Kenmare Street. Situated at the corner of Mulberry Street in Nolita, the upcoming seven-story development converts and expands upon a parking garage which DHA, in partnership with AMS Acquisitions and First Atlantic Capital, purchased for $50 million last year. Manhattan-based architect Andre Kikoski designed a sumptuous masonry skin composed of "richly textured and finely scaled" cast-formed concrete, and the apartments are expected to go from $1.7 million to more than $12 million.
Find out more

June 2, 2016

Fusing Art and Luxury Real Estate, Two Pros Discuss Their Approach

With so many high-end and ultra-luxury towers coming to the market, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for developers to stand out in the crowd. While wild amenities have typically dominated as a way to distinguish one’s building, some developers are trying to extend their reach even further by appealing to the artistic sensibilities of the wealthy. As CityRealty writes, for […]

June 1, 2016

Norman Foster’s First Brooklyn Project Revealed, A 7.7-Acre Red Hook Office Development

Back in 2005, the Joesph Sitt-led Thor Equities spent $40 million on a vacant, 7.7-acre parcel of land in Red Hook that juts 700 feet into the Erie Basin, between the Ikea parking lot and the Fairway. Preliminary visions for the former Revere Sugar Factory site included retail, office space, and residential buildings, but according to a press release sent out today by Thor, there will be no housing. Today's major announcement, however, is the architect selection: Norman Foster will helm the design of the new waterfront office complex, which will "include two heavy timber frame buildings totaling more than 600,000 square feet of creative office space, and 23,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space." Foster is a surprising choice for the project, as his commissions are typically flashy and in high-profile areas like Midtown or the Financial District. In fact, this will be his first building in Brooklyn. But the sole rendering shows his signature mix of contemporary panache (glassy construction with a cantilevering portion) and contextual thoughtfulness (low-scale, boxy structures in keeping with the industrial area).
More details ahead

June 1, 2016

VIDEO: JDS Takes Us Behind the Construction of the American Copper Buildings’ Skybridge

Aside from their "dancing" silhouette, what makes the SHoP-designed American Copper Buildings (named for the 5,000 metal panels that make up the facade) so unique is the three-story diagonal skybridge that connects the 470- and 540-foot towers. Floating 300 feet over the street at 626 First Avenue, it's the city's first major new skybridge in over 80 years and will be the highest such structure in New York when completed. Though the bridge is no small feat—its steel trusses weigh over 421,000 pounds, it has 24 connection points, and it will be close to one million square feet—it all started with a single piece of string. In a new video from their "Building Know-How" series, JDS Development takes us behind the construction of this architectural wonder, sharing their approach
Watch the full video here

June 1, 2016

POLL: Could China’s Street-Straddling Bus System Work in New York?

At the 19th annual Beijing International High-Tech Expo, China flexed some of its public transportation prowess by debuting a model of a proposed bus system that would hover over vehicular road traffic, straddling existing highways. Dubbed the "Transit Elevated Bus," the radical idea has been kicked around for several years, but now the WSJ reports that China will be building a trial run of the system in its Hibei province later this year. While here in the U.S., we are still scavenging for mass transit dollars and desperately trying to convince politicians that adding more lanes to highways does not actually relieve congestion, China may literally leap above and beyond U.S transport planning if these "air buses" come to fruition. The engineers claim each bus could hold more than 1,200 commuters at a time and travel up to 40 miles per hour. Additionally, construction would be one-fifth the cost of a subway line and could be completed in a single year.
Should we consider a similar plan for NYC?

May 31, 2016

Lift-Bit Is the World’s First Digitally-Transformable Sofa

By Rebecca Paul

For the first time, a remote will control a section of your living room furniture that doesn't include your lights or home entertainment center. From the international design and innovation studio Carlo Ratti Associati, Lift-Bit is the world’s first digitally-transformable sofa. The wired furniture was created with the support of Swiss-owned furniture company Vitra and is made up of a series of modular seats fully stacked with the Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies. Each separate seat has the ability to raise or lower independently, thus introducing a multitude of seating configurations and functionality that can be controlled with the click of a button.
READ MORE

May 27, 2016

Rent a Former Carriage House in the Historic Washington Mews for $30K/Month

By Emily Nonko

Washington Mews might be one of the best blocks not just in Greenwich Village, but in all of New York City. It's a gated, cobblestone street that's lined with quaint carriage houses and one of them has just hit the market, asking $30,000 a month. Located at 64 Washington Mews, it's been totally renovated into a lofty and modern two-bedroom home with three levels connected by an open staircase and lit by skylights.
Take a look

May 26, 2016

Harriet the Spy’s Upper East Side Townhouse Hits the Market for $4.95M

Retrace Harriet's "spy route" and settle in with a tomato sandwich at this Queen Anne-style townhouse said to be the residence that inspired the fictional home featured in "Harriet the Spy," the beloved book starring a precocious 11-year-old who spends her days documenting the moves of her friends and neighbors. According to The Post, the stunning 1880s property at 558 East 87th Street has just listed for $4.95 million, and it's the first time in nearly 70 years that it's been put up for sale. The rare Upper East Side gem is a corner construction, which gives it fantastic views of Gracie Mansion, Carl Schurz Park, and the East River—on top of excellent light from three exposures. And being situated on one of the leafiest and quietest blocks in the city, it's the perfect setting to get into covert shenanigans, à la Harriet.
Have a look inside here

May 26, 2016

C3D Architecture’s 232 Seventh Avenue Begins Its 17-Floor Climb in Chelsea

Near Chelsea's raggle-taggle intersection of Seventh Avenue and 23rd Street, a new residential building has begun its 17-floor rise skyward. The 53,135-square-foot tower designed by C3D Architecture will boast 50 rental apartments with first and cellar levels dedicated to commercial and retail uses. Floors two through 11 will be configured with four apartments per floor and floors 12-16 just two apartments apiece. According to C3D, the exterior will be clad in a subdued mix of limestone and metal panels with full-height glass windows wedged in between. The second floor will be provided a large rear terrace and all levels above will have west-facing balconies. The twelfth floor is setback and the uppermost four levels will be outfitted with street-facing balconies.
Find out more

May 26, 2016

Design Firm Reimagines Neglected Space Under the BQE as a Food Court and Sports Center

By Michelle Cohen

NYC-based design firm Buro Koray Duman has come up with a series of plans to use the under-utilized space beneath the BQE in a site near Sunset Park's Industry City, the massive waterfront industrial complex which itself has recently experienced a renaissance as a hub for designers and local manufacturers. The elevated highway separates Industry City from the rest of the neighborhood, and the proposed uses would connect the space beneath with the creative and commercial energy of the complex. According to Dezeen, the firm saw an opportunity to put the empty sub-highway space to good use and add "more color and convenience to the city's daily life."
Find out more about the two ideas for the under-highway space

Architecture And Design

May 25, 2016

Spend Summer on the Sun Porch in This $2.25M Craftsman-Style Windsor Terrace Home

By Michelle Cohen

Not only does this super-cute brick townhouse promise plenty of space for the whole family without leaving the civilization of New York City, but it conjures up a totally different, laid-back and innocent time and place. This home at 207 Windsor Place mixes Arts and Crafts-style details with an old fashioned American house layout, with a big eat-in kitchen that opens into a formal dining room, a catnap-ready front sun porch, a basement ready for whatever you'd like to make it—and four bedrooms at the end of the day. All of this sits at the Park Slope/Windsor Terrace border two blocks from Prospect Park and a block from subways, shopping, dining, cafes and everything Brooklyn neighborhoods are loved for today.
Take a floor-by-floor tour

May 25, 2016

Colorful Flat-Pack Furniture Can Be Hung on the Wall Like Art