As New York-based Hill West Architects sees more requests for expansive multi-tower luxury residential projects, often taking up full city blocks or more, the firm is tasked with more than simply designing a building that fits into the surrounding neighborhood. With the increase in these larger projects, architects are taking on new roles as urban planners, designing new “micro-neighborhoods” that contain everything one would want in a neighborhood (outdoor space, access to transportation), along with considering how these dramatic projects will fit into the city at large.
For example, Hill West’s recently completed Waterline Square is composed of three towers that each have their own distinctive look on the Upper West Side. The development includes 30+ sports courts and a sprawling park with features like a children’s playground and interactive fountain. Meanwhile, Hill West’s upcoming waterfront Bankside project in the South Bronx will include a whopping seven towers along the Harlem River, completely transforming the neighborhood. Hill West’s Jackson Park in Long Island City, completed in 2017, is a neighborhood within itself, and includes three towers that surround a park, with a separate building for a plush amenity suite.
Bankside, the much-anticipated project from Brookfield currently under construction in the South Bronx, will consist of seven residential and commercial towers that will create an entirely new neighborhood at the edge of the Harlem River. The first buildings, located at 101 Lincoln Avenue and 2401 Third Avenue, will be 24 and 25 stories with 851 and 458 rental units, respectively. Local firms Hill West Architects and Whitehall Interiors are designing Bankside to contextually fit in with the surrounding neighborhood once complete. Amenities will include a community facility, waterfront walking path, courtyard and more.
The recently-completed Waterline Square is made up of three residential buildings on the Hudson River waterfront of the Upper West Side all designed by different notable architects with a master plan by Hill West. The buildings are connected by a park designed by Matthew-Neilson and includes over 100,000 square feet of amenity space, including a skate park, music and recording studio, game parlor and fitness center. Collectively, the project boasts 1,134 luxury rental and condo units.
Design Architects: Richard Meier & Partners, Kohn Pederson Fox, and Rafael Vinoly.
Jackson Park, completed in 2017, is a complementary set of three 53-story glass buildings in Long Island City, Queens designed by Hill West and Clodagh Design. The rental project boasts 120,00 square feet and a completely separate building for resort-style amenities, including indoor and outdoor pools, a 1.6-acre private park, sky terrace and more.
Design Architects: Mack Scogin Merrill Elam
