Gabellini Sheppard

Prismatically defined against the backdrop of city and sky, this proposed fifteen-story residential tower located on a prominent Fifth Avenue site was commissioned by a New York developer. Its slender, crystalline form rises like an exposed vertical seam of rock crystal from within the block of masonry buildings. Above the three-story retail podium, ten full-floor, 4,000-square-foot residences embody a contemporary urban identity. 

These three- and four-bedroom spaces are composed to take full advantage of the three natural exposures, while a cantilevered volume of five penthouse levels hovers above. The penthouse interiors are defined by open plans, interconnected living areas, and light-filled, glass-enclosed bathing suites. The blending of filtered natural and warm artificial light around the perimeter softens the perceived boundary between inside and outside. Living space becomes optical and sensory space. On the building's two roof levels, open-air gardens provide residents with a gravity pool, outdoor dining spaces, morning sun deck, and panoramic evening terrace.