JFA was asked to create a conceptual design for a residential tower to be located in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. The challenge is for the new building to appear contemporary, but also to sit comfortably within the architectural character of the neighborhood, which consists of numerous turn-of-the-century industrial buildings. The character of these buildings is largely derived through the materials prevalent – namely brick and dark metal. Repetitive architectural elements such as brick arches and large canopies are also signature characteristics of these buildings. JFA carefully crafted the articulation of the tower to suggest a building form that was comprised of a series of stacked and segmented forms. By applying the traditional architectural principles of “Base, middle and top”, JFA successfully designed a contemporary residential tower that sits comfortably in a traditional urban context.
