New York, NY

H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture was selected to design a 30-story residential tower for World Wide Holdings on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. With approximately 200,000 square feet and 92 units, the upper floors of the building feature family-oriented three-, four- and five-bedroom units while the lower levels will loft-like duplex apartments. The building also features luxury residential amenities such as a 42,000 square foot gym, game rooms, a billiard room, a lounge and party room, a screening room, and playrooms for infants and toddlers. Commercial functions are incorporated on the first and second floors.

The design investigates how vertically-sliced segments removed from the mass of the building can create new viewpoints from the interior spaces while reinforcing the building’s verticality. The exterior skin of the tower is subtlety patterned with alternating bands of insulated glass and textured metal panels that reflect the sky.

The base of the building, in contrast, establishes a continuity of the adjacent mixed use character of the streetscape activities of a typical Manhattan neighborhood and features limestone panels, textured metal and glass.

The space planning of the tower placed a high premium on the design and plan efficiency of its residential units. Considerable attention to achieve distinctive and highly functional plan layouts resulted in a variety of residential units that avoided repetition at each level.

Sustainability features in the building include a high performance building envelope, energy-efficient radiant heating, extensive day lighting strategies, the integration of high-quality recycled building materials, and a compact building shape.

CLIENT: Worldwide Holdings Corporation
COMPLETION: 2009
COST: Withheld at Client’s Request