4 Hudson Square - Disney NYC Headquarters
SOM · Hudson Square · 2024
Northeast corner from the intersection of Varick Street and Vandam Street.
Facade installation has wrapped up for everywhere except the ground floor at The Walt Disney Company’s 22-story New York headquarters at 4 Hudson Square in Lower Manhattan from Silverstein Properties. Designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM), the full block development features a massing with setbacks that afford terraces for employees and two towers. In total, the development includes 1.2 million gross square feet with floor plates up to 85,000 square feet.
East facade from Spring Street.
In dialog with the neighborhood’s masonry and stone material palette, the development features a facade of single-, double- and triple-columned green terracotta panels, large picture windows, and bronze toned metal accents.
Southwest corner from Hudson Street.
West facade from Hudson Street.
Architect: Skidmore Owings & Merrill; Interiors: Gensler; Developer: Silverstein Properties; Structural Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti; MEP Engineer: Jaros, Baum & Bolles; Facade Consultant: R.A. Heintges & Associates; Landscape Architect: SCAPE; General Contractor: Lendlease; Client: The Walt Disney Company; Program: Office, Retail; Location: Hudson Square, New York, NY; Completion: 2024.
Construction Update: Manhattan West
Southeast corner of Two Manhattan West (left) and One Manhattan West (right).
Superstructure is rising at Two Manhattan West, the second new office tower at Brookfield Properties' Manhattan West. The tower is part of the six building mixed use mega-development adjacent to the new Hudson Yards neighborhood. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) led the design of the 58-story tower, which features a tapered massing with a glass curtain wall facade. One Manhattan West, an adjacent 67-story office tower of similar design opened last year at the northeast corner of the site.
Looking up at the east facade of One Manhattan West.
Lobby of One Manhattan West.
Northeast corner of the lobby at One Manhattan West.
Northeast corner of the lobby at One Manhattan West.
Looking up at the south facade of One Manhattan West.
Looking up at the south facade of One Manhattan West (right) and the Pendry Hotel (left).
Two Manhattan West
Northeast corner of Two Manhattan West.
Northeast corner of Two Manhattan West.
Looking up at the east facade of Two Manhattan West.
Looking up at the southeast corner of Two Manhattan West (left) and One Manhattan West (right).
Southeast corner of Two Manhattan West (left) and One Manhattan West (right).
Looking up at the south facade of Two Manhattan West.
Ground floor superstructure at Two Manhattan West.
Ground floor superstructure at Two Manhattan West.
Southwest corner of Two Manhattan West.
Looking up at the north facade of 401 West 31st Street.
Close-up of the retail podium at 401 West 31st Street.
Looking up at the north facade of 401 West 31st Street at dusk.
Southwest corner of One Manhattan West.
Pendry Hotel
A 164-room luxury hotel operated by Pendry Hotels is currently rising on the northern boundary of the Manhattan West development. Also designed by SOM, the 281-foot-tall tower features a fluted glass curtain wall.
South facade of the Pendry Hotel and retail podium.
Close-up of the south facade of the Pendry Hotel.
Looking up at the southwest corner of the Pendry Hotel and One Manhattan West.
Southwest corner of the Pendry Hotel.
Northwest corner of the Pendry Hotel (center) and One Manhattan West (left).
Looking up at the north facade of the Pendry Hotel (center), One Manhattan West (left), and Five Manhattan West (right).
Architects: REX (Five Manhattan West), SLCE (401 West 31st Street [Architect of Record], SOM (401 West 31st Street [Design Architect], One Manhattan West, Two Manhattan West, Pendry Hotel, Master Plan Architect); Landscape Architects: James Corner Field Operations; Developer: Brookfield Properties; Program: Office, Residential, Hotel, Retail; Location: Hudson Yards District, New York, NY; Completion: 2017 (Five Manhattan West, 401 West 31st Street); 2019 (One Manhattan West); 2020 (Pendry Hotel), 2022 (Two Manhattan West).
Construction Update: Manhattan West
North facade.
Facade installation is nearing completion at the Pendry Hotel at the norther boundary of the Manhattan West development. Designed by SOM, the same architects as the nearby One Manhattan West, the 281-foot-tall tower features a fluted glass curtain wall. Pendry Hotels will operate the 164-room luxury hotel.
Northwest corner facade detail.
Looking up at the north facade.
Architects: SOM [Design Architect]; Developer: Brookfield Properties; Program: Hotel, Retail; Location: Hudson Yards District, New York, NY; Completion: 2021.
Construction Update: Manhattan West
Looking west towards One Manhattan West (center).
One Manhattan West, the first of two new office towers at Brookfield Properties' Manhattan West, has officially opened. The tower is part of the six building mixed use mega-development adjacent to the new Hudson Yards neighborhood. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) led the design of the 67-story tower, which features a tapered massing with a glass curtain wall facade. An adjacent second tower of similar design will rise at the southeastern corner of the site.
Looking up at the northeast corner of One Manhattan West.
Looking up at the east facade of One Manhattan West.
Lobby of One Manhattan West.
Pendry Hotel
A 164-room luxury hotel operated by Pendry Hotels is currently rising on the northern boundary of the Manhattan West development. Also designed by SOM, the 281-foot-tall tower features a fluted glass curtain wall.
North facade.
Northwest corner facade detail.
Looking up at the north facade.
Architects: REX (Five Manhattan West), SLCE (401 West 31st Street [Architect of Record], SOM (401 West 31st Street [Design Architect], 1 Manhattan West, Pendry Hotel, Master Plan Architect); Landscape Architects: James Corner Field Operations; Developer: Brookfield Properties; Program: Office, Residential, Hotel, Retail; Location: Hudson Yards District, New York, NY; Completion: 2017 (Five Manhattan West, 401 West 31st Street); 2019 (One Manhattan West); 2020 (Pendry Hotel).
Building Tour: 252 East 57th Street
Southeast corner from 2nd Avenue.
Construction has wrapped up at World Wide Group and Rose Associates' 252 East Fifty Seven tower in the Midtown East neighborhood of Manhattan. Led by architects SOM and SLCE, the design of the 65-story residential tower features a concave slice that rips vertically through the three street facing facades, expanding in size as it rises. The special curved glass employed for the feature required fabrication in Italy.
Looking up at the north facade from East 57th Street.
Residential entry on East 57th Street.
Residential entry.
Residential lobby water feature.
Residential lobby.
Penthouse Residence
The tower will include 169 rental units on the lower floors and 95 condo units above, starting on the 36th floor. Interiors are designed by Daniel Romualdez Architects and features custom Eggersmann kitchens and bathtubs from the architect. The views from the top floors feature a panoramic view of Manhattan as well as the Brooklyn and Queens waterfront. Central Park is visible to the north and many iconic landmarks to the south, including the Chrysler Building and One World Trade.
Southwest view from the living room.
Kitchen.
View south from the penthouse unit.
West view from the living room.
Master bath.
Model Residence
Living room.
View to the south from the model residence.
View to the west from the terrace.
Kitchen.
Master bedroom.
West view from the master bedroom.
Master bath.
Amenities
At the 34th floor, condo residents will have access to amenities including a lounge, library, dining room, and 70-foot south facing terrace. Fitness amenities will include a 75-foot swimming pool, spa, and gym with a spin room and yoga and pilates studios. Condo residents will enter the building through an attended, gated porte cochere with automated parking.
Library.
Dining room.
Billiards room.
Private lounge.
Fitness center.
Screening room.
Pool.
Relaxation room.
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (Design Architect) with SLCE Architects LLP (Executive Architect); Interior Architect: Daniel Romualdez Architects, P.C.; Sustainable Engineer: WSP; Developers: World Wide Group and Rose Associates; Program: Residential Rental and Condo; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
United States Courthouse Los Angeles
Looking up at the north façade from West 1st Street.
Construction is wrapping up at Skidmore Owings & Merrill's new United States courthouse indowntown Los Angeles. The building is designed as a glass clad cube that hovers over a stone base. As part of the sustainability strategy to achieve LEED Platinum status, a serrated curtain wall cladding will help to drastically reduce solar heat gain and maximize views. Inside, the 633,000-square-foot facility will contain 24 courtrooms and 32 judges’ chambers.
U.S. seal glass frit close-up.
Tower base close-up.
Façade corner close-up.
East façade with the Los Angeles Times Building in the foreground.
West elevation from South Olive Street.
Looking east from South Grand Avenue and West 2nd Street.
Southwest corner from South Hill Street and West 2nd Street.
Façade close-up.
Façade corner close-up.
U.S. Courthouse with the Walt Disney Concert Hall in the foreground.
Cornell Tech Campus
Superstructure rises at all building sites in the first phase of Cornell University's tech-focused new campus on Roosevelt Island in New York.
Superstructure has started to rise at the phase one sites of Cornell's new tech campus on Roosevelt Island. The site is located to the south of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge and was formerly home to the Goldwater Hospital, which housed 2,106 beds. Included in the first phase of construction is an academic building by Morphosis, a corporate co-location building by Weiss/Manfredi, a residential tower by Handel Architects, a meeting center for the academic and tech community, a central utility building by SOM, and a campus plaza by Field Operations.
Located on a triangular site at the northwest corner of the campus, the four-story, 160,000-square-foot Bloomberg Center will house the school's initial academic functions. Bronze toned metal panels will clad the exterior, while a roof covered in photovoltaic panels crowns the top floor. The building has been designed with the goal of achieving Net-Zero energy consumption and a LEED Platinum certification. Superstructure has reached the fourth floor, making topping out eminent.
To the east of the Bloomberg Center, the Bridge at Cornell Tech serves as a corporate co-location building. The Weiss/Manfredi designed building will provide space for new and established companies to work on innovative projects. Superstructure has reached the second floor.
Aerial view of the Phase One campus from the Roosevelt Island tram.
Aerial view of the Phase One campus from the Roosevelt Island tram.
Aerial view of the Phase One campus from the Roosevelt Island tram.
Northwest corner of the Bloomberg Center by Morphosis.
At the northern boundary of the site lies the Central Utility Plant and the residential tower. The one story utility building features a sawtooth facade, clad in metal panels, that faces the North Loop Road. An unoccupiable green roof covers the top. The Hudson Companies' 26-story, 270-foot-tall residential tower stands adjacent to the utility building and will provide 350 residential units to mostly graduate students. Handel Architects has designed the tower to the Passive House sustainability standards, making it the world's tallest project to use such standards. The Central Utility Plant has topped out, while the residential tower has reached its second floor.
North facade of the Central Utility Plant by SOM.
Northwest corner of the Central Utility Plant.
North facade of the Central Utility Plant by SOM.
Northeast corner of the Phase One campus with the Residential Building (center) and the Central Utility Plant (right).
Northeast corner of the Residential Building by Handel Architects.
Work on the first phase of the campus is schedule for completion by 2017.
Architects: SOM (Master Plan, Central Utility Plant), Morphosis (The Bloomberg Center), Weiss/Manfredi (The Bridge at Cornell Tech), Handel Architects (Residential Tower); Landscape Architects: Field Operations (Campus Plaza); Program: Education, Office, Residential, Open Space; Location: Roosevelt Island, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
1 World Trade Center - One World Observatory
In yet another milestone at the World Trade Center site, the observatory at One World Trade Center opened to the public last Friday. Known as One World Observatory, the attraction reinstates views lost due to the tragic events of September 11. Almost 14 years later, the public can once again view the city from its highest point.
One World Observatory entry canopy.
Like much else in New York, the opening day was marred by long lines. Although those in line had timed tickets, those times came and went before you could even enter the building. Once inside, there were more lines as you waited to pass through the security screening. At least a pat down wasn't required. After passing through security, it's on to more lines as you make your way through corridors with a brief exhibit about the building. This exhibit feels like a lost opportunity to actually discuss the design and construction of the tower with more engaging content like models, renderings, and extensive construction photos.
Stairs down to observatory entrance.
One World Observatory entry from the World Trade Center Transit Hub.
Ticket counter.
Observatory entrance.
Almost an hour after the time designated on the ticket, its actually time to enter the "skypod" elevator that takes you to the 102nd floor in less than a minute. The animation on three of the interior panels plays like a time lapse in Google Earth, illustrating Lower Manhattan's evolution from the time of the earliest European settlers to present day. It's very well done but hard to experience while crammed into an elevator.
Elevator vestibule.
Time lapse animation inside the elevator cab.
Arriving at the 102nd floor, there is yet another video presentation to watch on a screen composed of panels extruded in and out a few inches. Scenes of New York life play for several minutes before finally the screen moves upwards into the ceiling, revealing a dramatic view towards Midtown. This is but a teaser for what awaits below on floor 100, where visitors can see the entire city from double height glass. Unlike other observatories in the city, you are always viewing the city from inside, which means your photos will have to contend with reflections on the windows, exacerbated by the sloped facade and unfortunate placement of mechanical ventilation grills at the foot of each window. Even so, the views are spectacular, revealing old favorites, recent additions to the skyline, and the scores of new construction underway in the city. Nearby, you get up close views of the rest of the World Trade Center Site, Herzog & de Meuron's 56 Leonard and Robert Stern's 30 Park Place. Further afield, the rapid development of Brooklyn's waterfront parks and downtown towers are on display. Looking to Midtown, the eye dances from Riverside Park,to the Hudson Yards district, to Times Square, and up to 432 Park Avenue's slender tower rising above it all.
First glimpse of the views.
Lower Manhattan with the Transit Hub, 3 WTC, and 4 WTC (center).
56 Leonard.
30 Park Place.
Governors Island.
Downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Bridge Park along the waterfront.
View towards Midtown.
The west side of Manhattan.
The Jersey City waterfront.
There are many touristy attractions on the observation floors that try to complement the experience but only feel like distractions. City Pulse, a ring of touch screens that present images of the city and real time information from social sites, attempts to act as a tour guide that's tapped into the web. It's presence feels distracting, unnecessary and actually hinders visitors who line up around it to get to the windows behind. What would be more useful is if the cell service at the observatory level was a bit stronger so the visitor could actually share their experiences on social sites more easily. Service was often spotty at best. Among the other offerings, there is a restaurant and gift shop if you need to take a break from the views. After you have taken in every conceivable angle of the city and head back down the elevator, another animation shows the visitor what the area will look like with the full World Trade Center site master plan built out, including the old design for Tower 5.
The City Pulse kiosk at the south viewing station.
The City Pulse kiosk at the north viewing station.
The Sky Portal attraction.
Undoubtedly, in the weeks and months to come the kinks will get worked out and visitors will have a smoother visit. Its wonderful to once again see this area of the city from such heights and given the pace of development, it will be an ever changing vista.
252 East 57th Street
Curtain wall installation has begun at SOM's 65-story mixed use tower, 252 East Fifty Seventh Street, in Midtown East. The overall design for the tower is a typical extruded, rectangular form with curving balconies and a convex to concave slice through the center of the north and east facades. Except for these curved glass units, the curtain wall is a fairly standard design that includes a white spandrel panel at each floor slab, creating a horizontal banding effect. The inclusion of curved glass for the exterior envelop appears to be a new trend in New York, with 50 West and 7 Bryant Park also employing the shaped units as part of their façade design.
Northwest corner from East 57th Street..
North facade from East 57th Street.
Detail of north facade.
Northeast corner from Second Avenue.
Southeast corner from Second Avenue.
South facade from East 56th Street.
Architects: SOM (Design Architect), SLCE (Architect of Record); Interior Architect: Daniel Romualdez; Engineer: WSP; Developers: World Wide Group and Rose Associates; Program: Residential; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2016.