301 E 50
Southwest corner from 2nd Avenue.
Recently, I took a tour of CBSK Ironstate's 301 East 50, a 57-unit residential condo tower in Manhattan's Midtown East neighborhood. The 29-story tower was designed by COOKFOX Architects, a firm known for combining high design with sustainable principles.
Looking up at the west façade from 2nd Avenue.
Inspiration for the design direction of the project came in part from the era of French Modernism, a movement that brought nature back into the often sterile, machine-like aesthetic of the modern movement. Looking to artists of that period such as Eileen Gray, Man Ray, and Constantin Brancusi, COOKFOX has crafted a tower of modern conveniences combined with timeless materials that evoke a warmth often lacking in modern architecture.
Southwest corner detail.
Limestone panels clad the exterior and reference the Indiana limestone cladding of nearby Rockefeller Center, a precedent for the design team. Smooth limestone panels are interspersed with textured limestone panels that resemble the vertical lines of the bush hammered concrete facades of nearby buildings. The subtle detail helps to avoid a monolithic appearance on the facade. Apart from aesthetics, the exterior wall contributes to the sustainable design strategies of the building, as the deep stone exterior walls create a thermal mass that helps moderate temperatures extremes in the summer and winter. Zinc panels with a vertical pattern clad the circulation core at the east elevation as well as the spandrel areas above the windows on the penthouse floors.
Large windows punctuate the stone facade, providing ample light and spectacular views from the interior. Each unit receives a large corner window that provides a dramatic vista of the neighborhood. From the exterior, the openings indicate how the typical floor plan stack changes as you move up the building, while adding variation to the facade's design. Windows include exterior sunshades, another sustainable strategy that moderates solar heat gain and helps bring light deep into the residences.
Facade detail.
Residential entry.
Residential entry canopy.
Residential lobby.
Penthouse B
Penthouse B features 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms in a 3,216-square-foot floor plate with exposure in all four directions.
Penthouse B corridor signage.
Entry.
The living/dining room features five-inch wide plank floors made from solid, tobacco-stained oak and views to the west and south.
Living room.
Dining room.
The kitchen features Italian kitchen cabinetry with Nanz hardware, Gaggenau appliances, Caesarstone countertops, and a Dornbracht faucet. Residents have a south facing view of their private outdoor terrace and the Midtown skyline beyond.
Kitchen.
Kitchen.
Looking out onto the private terrace from the kitchen.
Kitchen cabinet detail.
Private outdoor terrace.
View to the west from the outdoor terrace.
View to the south from the outdoor terrace.
The master bedroom features views to the north and east from large windows spanning much of the space.
Master bedroom.
The master bathroom is clad in full height Bianco Alanur marble with a rosewood and Bianco Dolomiti vanity. COOKFOX has custom designed the light fixtures and medicine cabinet. Fixtures and accessories are by Waterworks, along with a freestanding tub.
Master bathroom.
Master bathroom vanity.
Master bathroom floor tile detail.
Secondary bedroom.
Secondary bathroom.
Unit 23B
Unit 23B features 2 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in a 1,690-square-foot floor plate with north, east, and west exposures.
Living/dining room and kitchen.
Kitchen.
Living room.
Master bedroom.
Looking north from the master bedroom.
Amenities
Amenities for the building include a double height fitness center and a 301 Club level featuring: cedar sauna, aromatic steam room, dressing rooms, tea lounge, private treatment room and a landscaped terrace. Storage units are also available for residents.
Fitness center.
Fitness center.
301 Club featuring sauna and steam rooms.
301 Club tea lounge.
301 Club tea lounge detail.
Architects: COOKFOX Architects; Developer: CBSK Ironstate; Program: Residential; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2015.
301 E 50
Last week I took an exclusive tour of CBSK Ironstate's 301 East 50, a 57-unit residential condo under construction in Manhattan's Midtown East neighborhood. The 29-story tower is one of the latest projects by COOKFOX Architects, a firm known for combining high design with sustainable principles.
Northwest corner from Second Avenue.
Inspiration for the design direction of the project came in part from the era of French Modernism, a movement that brought nature back into the often sterile, machine-like aesthetic of the modern movement. Looking to artists of that period such as Eileen Gray, Man Ray, and Constantin Brancusi, COOKFOX has crafted a tower of modern conveniences combined with timeless materials that evoke a warmth often lacking in modern architecture.
Northwest corner with limestone panel installation.
Installation is wrapping up on the limestone panels that clad the exterior. The panels reference the Indiana limestone cladding of nearby Rockefeller Center, a precedent for the design team. Smooth limestone panels are interspersed with textured limestone panels that resemble the vertical lines of the bush hammered concrete facades of nearby buildings. The subtle detail helps to avoid a monolithic appearance on the facade. Apart from aesthetics, the exterior wall contributes to the sustainable design strategies of the building, as the deep stone exterior walls create a thermal mass that helps moderate temperatures extremes in the summer and winter. Zinc panels with a vertical pattern clad the circulation core at the east elevation as well as the spandrel areas above the windows on the penthouse floors.
West elevation with limestone panel installation.
Large windows punctuate the stone facade, providing ample light and spectacular views from the interior. Each unit receives a large corner window that provides a dramatic vista of the neighborhood. From the exterior, the openings indicate how the typical floor plan stack changes as you move up the building, while adding variation to the facade's design. Installation of the exterior sunshades have begun on the windows, another sustainable strategy that moderates solar heat gain and helps bring light deep into the residences.
Southwest corner of the tower from Second Avenue.
Facade panels awaiting installation.
Detail of the southwest corner of the facade.
Looking north on Second Avenue.
Rendering of the northeast corner of the tower. Rendering by Visual Unit Worldwide.
Looking west to the central Midtown skyline. Notable building include the Citygroup Center tower (far right), Rockefeller Center (center left), and the MetLife Building (far left).
Looking south towards Midtown East from the mechanical platform. Notable buildings include the Empire State Building (far right), Chrysler Building (right), 50 UN Plaza (far left).
Looking east towards the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park and Long Island City in Queens from the mechanical platform.
A northwest corner window.
A southeast corner bedroom.
Window with exterior fin installed.
Detail of exterior fin attachment.
Southeast corner of the tower with an exterior fin installed on the lowest floor.
East tower facade.
Zinc panels.
Interiors are also designed by COOKFOX Architects with the same attention to detail found in the exterior design. There are custom touches throughout, including different geometric patterns for the mosaic tile in the master and secondary bathrooms.
Master bathroom.
Rendering of the master bathroom. Rendering by Visual Unit Worldwide.
Master bathroom wall tile.
Master bathroom floor tile.
Secondary bathroom.
Secondary bathroom wall tile.
Secondary bathroom floor tile.
Amenities for the building include a double height fitness center, spa, landscaped terrace, and storage units for residents.
Fitness center under construction.
Rendering of the fitness center. Rendering by Visual Unit Worldwide.
East facade from East 50th Street.
Architects: COOKFOX Architects; Developer: CBSK Ironstate; Program: Residential; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2015.
301 E 50
Construction is progressing at 301 E 50, COOKFOX Architects' 29-story, 57 unit condo tower in Manhattan's Midtown East neighborhood. Since the last update in November, installation of the facade's limestone panels and windows is significantly complete. Still absent on the facade are the windows' sun shading elements for mitigating solar heat gain. The project seems well on its way to wrapping up sometime this year.
Looking east on East 50th Street.
Southwest corner from 2nd Avenue.
Southwest corner of the tower.
Southwest corner of the podium.
South facade from East 50th Street.
Southwest corner from 2nd Avenue.
Looking north on 2nd Avenue.
Architects: COOKFOX Architects; Developer: CBSK Ironstate; Program: Residential; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2015.
301 E 50
There has been much progress on the façade of COOKFOX Architects' 301 E 50 since the previous update. Limestone panels have now been installed on two-thirds of the 29-story tower, with windows installed on the bottom third. Yet to be installed are the brise soleil sunshade elements on the windows, which will help to reduce solar heat gain.
When completed, the tower will bring 57 units to its Midtown East neighborhood.
Looking east on East 50th Street.
Southwest corner from 2nd Avenue.
Southwest corner from 2nd Avenue.
Southwest corner of the podium from 2nd Avenue.
South façade from East 50th Street.
Southeast corner from East 50th Street.
West façade from 2nd Avenue.
Northwest corner from 2nd Avenue.
Limestone façade panels.
Limestone façade panel.
Limestone façade panel detail.
Southwest corner façade detail.
Architects: COOKFOX Architects; Developer: CBSK Ironstate; Program: Residential; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2015.
301 E 50
There is steady progress at COOKFOX Architects' 301 E 50 since last month's update, with structure topping out and the first limestone panels going up on the podium. When completed, the tower will bring 57 residential condo units to its Midtown East neighborhood.
The 29-story building's design incorporates the architects practicing ethics of biophilia, connecting people with nature through design. These principles can be found in elements such as the landscaped terrace, highly filtered fresh air to each unit, low VOC paints and materials, an exterior wall designed to minimize the interior effects of seasonal temperature extremes, and corner windows that provide generous panoramic views for every unit.
For the façade, the architects have employed limestone cladding, increasingly popular in recent New York projects. Interspersed amongst the predominantly smooth panels are broached limestone panels, which are dressed with a point that creates vertical groove lines that gives the panel a rougher texture.
Looking north on 2nd Avenue.
The southwest corner of the tower from 2nd Avenue.
The southwest corner of the tower from 2nd Avenue.
The southwest corner of the tower from 2nd Avenue.
The south façade of the podium with limestone installation underway.
Detail of the limestone cladding.
Corner detail of the limestone cladding.
Detail of the limestone cladding.
The west façade of the podium from 2nd Avenue.
The southwest corner of the building from 2nd Avenue.
Architects: COOKFOX Architects; Program: Residential; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2015.
301 E 50
Structure has reached the 24th floor at COOKFOX's 29-story, 57-unit residential condo in Midtown East, 301 E 50. There is no sign of the Indiana limestone façade with brise soleil sunshades that serve as a primary strategy in the building's sustainable design. Lower floors have the façade anchoring elements installed into the concrete slabs which indicates the façade might not be absent for long.
The northwest corner on Second Avenue.
The western façade on Second Avenue.
The southwest corner on Second Avenue.
Looking north on Second Avenue.
The southeast corner on East 50th Street.
Looking west on East 50th Street.
Detail of the tower structure with corner cantilever.
Architects: COOKFOX Architects; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2015.
301 E 50
Construction Update:
Work is well underway at COOKFOX's 29-story, 57 unit residential tower in Midtown East, with concrete reaching the 7th floor slab. According to the building's website, the architects' inspiration draws from both the art of French Modernism and the science behind sustainable building practices. The facade will be clad in zinc and panels of Indiana limestone, providing thermal mass to help regulate temperature shifts inside the building in both summer and winter. The windows are a key feature of the building, providing ample daylighting at the corners and moderating heat gain with the help of the brise soleil sunshade system attached to each window unit. COOKFOX is also responsible for the project's interior design.
Looking north along Second Avenue.
The corner of Second Avenue and East 50th Street.
The Second Avenue elevation.
Architects: COOKFOX Architects; Program: Residential; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2015.