[ Della Valle + Bernheimer ] 459 West 18th Street

Architects: Della Valle + Bernheimer Design
Location: New York, NY, USA
Partner in Charge: Jared Della Valle
Project Manager: Burck Schellenberg
Project Designer: Garrick Jones
Project Team: Andrew Willard, Cathy Braasch, Brian Butterfield, Adam Ruedig
Client/Developer: Alloy Development
Contractor: TG Nickel
Project Area: 29,700 sq ft
Project Year: 2006-2009
Photographs: Della Valle + Bernheimer, Frank Oudeman, BLiP Studio, Evan Joseph

Della Valle Bernheimer acted as both architect and developer of this residential project located between two vibrant and evolving neighborhoods—the Meatpacking District and Chelsea—on the west side of Manhattan. On the edge of what once was the shoreline of Manhattan, the bold design for this mixed-use condominium project appears resolutely within its context. Severe in mass and profile, the confident exterior of the tower belies its carefully-muted interiors.

The building envelope is comprised of composite panels and white and clear glass. Fenestration punctures through the building mass are expressed as extruded collars. In an effort to blur the delineation between interior and exterior, and to eliminate the distraction of mullions typically associated with curtain wall systems, massive expanses of glass add a cinematic quality, framing views like art-in-progress. Meticulously-designed details and thoughtfully-selected materials achieve an understated, serene interior that is in marked contrast to the rigorously prominent building exterior and the neighborhood. 

from  archdaily