News: London architect Zaha Hadid has unveiled plans for an 11-storey apartment block that will be constructed beside New York's popular High Line park.
The residential building is to be built on West 28th Street and will provide approximately 37 apartments overlooking one of New York's most visited tourist attractions. It will also be Zaha Hadid's first project in the city.
Hadid's proposal is for a glass and steel building that will integrate a chevron pattern in its facade. "Our design is an integration of volumes that flow into each other and, following a coherent formal language, create the sensibility of the building's overall ensemble," she said.
"With an arrangement that reinvents the spatial experience, each residence will have its own distinctive identity, offering multiple perspectives and exciting views of the neighbourhood," she added.
Commissioned by New York developer Related Companies, the building will feature a range of luxury features, including a grand double-height foyer, a large roof terrace and an indoor pool and spa. Apartments will feature 3.3 metre-high ceilings and most will have their own private entrance foyers.
The High Line has been a catalyst for development in New York since its first section opened in 2009. In a recent interview, designer Steven Burks told us: "For decades [the High Line] was an overgrown railroad track, left over from an era when elevated trains roared through Manhattan. Today it's a multi-million dollar park that's welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors a day." See more stories about the High Line »
Zaha Hadid has already been in the news over the last week, as projects in Hong Kong and Azerbaijan near completion. See more architecture by Zaha Hadid »
Here's a press release from Related Companies:
Related Companies commissions Zaha Hadid Architects to design boutique residential condominium on the High Line at 520 West 28th Street
Related Companies, New York's premier residential developer, today announced that it has commissioned world renowned Zaha Hadid Architects to design a boutique condominium adjacent to the High Line at 520 West 28th Street in Chelsea just south of Hudson Yards. The 11-storey residential development will mark Hadid's first commission in New York City, leaving an indelible mark on the High Line's architecture map and continuing Related's storied history of partnering with world-class architects and designers.
"We are proud to partner with Zaha Hadid Architects and to continue Related's commitment to the very best in urban architecture," said Jeff Blau, CEO of Related Companies. "This development will be truly unique within the city's architectural offerings, and will pave the way for future architectural achievements on Manhattan's west side."
The development's bold design captures the richness of the location's vibrant and historic urban context, where a fascinating interplay between the city and the High Line has created a powerful urban dynamic among the elevated park and surrounding streetscape. The same interplay is seen within the building's design; a chevron pattern enhances the sculpted exterior, at once separating and merging the two distinct zones. The innovative concept further develops this contextual relationship, giving each residence the highest degree of originality.
"Our design is an integration of volumes that flow into each other and, following a coherent formal language, create the sensibility of the building's overall ensemble," explained Zaha Hadid, founder of London-based Zaha Hadid Architects and the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize. "With an arrangement that reinvents the spatial experience, each residence will have its own distinctive identity, offering multiple perspectives and exciting views of the neighbourhood."
Zaha Hadid, founder of Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), is known internationally for her built, theoretical and academic work. Each of her projects builds on over thirty years of exploration and research in the interrelated fields of urbanism, architecture and design. ZHA's interest lies in the interface between architecture and its context as the practice integrates natural topography and human-made systems, leading to experimentation with new technologies. Such a process often results in unexpected and dynamic architectural forms.
The firm's previous work at The MAXXI: National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, Italy and the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games demonstrate ZHA's exploration of fluid space. Previous seminal buildings such as the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati and the Guangzhou Opera House in China have also been hailed as architecture that transforms our ideas of the future with new spatial concepts and visionary forms.
The 11-storey development will feature approximately 37 residences of up to 5,500 square feet, focusing on expansive, gracious layouts with 11-foot ceilings, thoughtful technological integration and state-of-the-art finishes and features. Designed with multiple elevator cores, a majority of the residences will have a private vestibule and entrance that adds to the intimacy of the building.
Residents of 520 West 28th Street can enjoy the High Line while maintaining privacy and exclusivity. The double-height entrance lobby offers glimpses beyond to the residents' communal spaces and an outdoor garden. The generous terraces and courtyard further enhance the residential experience and a substantial roof terrace, indoor pool and spa, entertainment space and playrooms give even greater opportunities to relax and entertain. These offerings will be part of a rich services and amenities program befitting the discerning luxury buyer to which the property will appeal.
In addition to the enchanting High Line park adjacent to the building, the property will benefit from exciting nearby additions, including Avenues: The World School, and numerous hot new restaurants. The site will also hold an important place within Related's footprint in this valuable neighbourhood – the company is soon launching a new luxury rental property at 30th Street and 10th Avenue as well as the much anticipated Hudson Yards project. This dramatic 26-acre mixed-use development two blocks to the north will include residential, office, retail, parks, open space, culture and entertainment. The first tower, the South Tower, will open in 2015.