Norwegian firm Snøhetta has unveiled on Nov. 27 its design for a new residential and synagogue tower set for construction in the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Located at 50 West 66th St., the development will feature a multi-level amenity terrace carved on the south facade. As it rises, the structure’s volumes will be carved away, splitting the mass into two and creating a shared space on the 16th floor.
The amenity terrace intends to be the “social heart” for the tower, with lush vegetation and views of the city, Hudson River and Central Park.
“The design is achieved through a series of sculptural excavations, evocative of the chiseled stone of Manhattan’s geologic legacy,” Snøhetta told Arch Daily.
Above the terrace level, the tower will be carved again to make way for private balconies attached to residential units.
“This zipper of loggias runs the full length of the upper volume, visually connecting the body to its lustrous sculpted crown,” said the project designer. “Angled facets evoke this chiseled vocabulary, revealing the same gleaming bronze found at the building’s base.”
At street level, the development will be surrounded by storefronts clad in limestone, glass and bronze. The structure then narrows on the second level, with tall windows set into the stone facade.
Snøhetta’s skyscraper will rise to a height of 775 ft. and deliver 127 units. The residential entrance will be set on the 66th St. while the synagogue’s will be on the 65th. Construction is scheduled to commence in spring of 2017.
