A luxury condominium in the Big Apple is usually de rigueur for a Pritzker prize-winning architect, but in the case of Tadao Ando, the Japanese architect is only just now popping his cherry. 152 Elizabeth Street, a beautifully formed, seven-storey, seven-residence building situated in the heart of Nolita that is scheduled to complete at the end of 2016, is Ando’s first residential building in Manhattan. Developed by Sumaida + Khurana, a local firm that is making it a point to work with renowned architects that have yet to build in New York City, 152 Elizabeth Street is poised to set a new standard in luxury living.
'I had the right team in the office for this project at the time of the offer so I took upon this venture,' Ando says simply of why a New York City project had not happened sooner. 'The project site and its scale were just right and rather opposite of the extreme skyscraper building rush taking place in New York, so I was intrigued.'
For such a debut, the acclaimed architect has put together a building that bears all of his signatures. 152 Elizabeth Street seamlessly blends a poured-in-place concrete structure with a burnished metal framework. Generous glass panels add buoyancy to the building, while a 55-foot high and 99-foot wide living green wall brings a modern air of serenity and calm.
'[The concept was to create a] glass box interlocked on an exposed concrete base creating the stability and transition from the dynamic urban fabric into a calm private residence. The refined contrast of the material use emphasises the simple architectural language,' explains Ando.
'I use concrete because to me, it is one of the best materials to capture the space I envision. I want to create a space, which no one has created before, with a very common material like concrete, which anyone is familiar with and has access to. Concrete can be made anywhere on earth with its local resources and is the material of 21st century, along with metal and glass.'
Beyond the façade, each of the building’s single-floor residences will be conceived as individual homes. Michael Gabellini of Gabellini Sheppard Associates embraced Ando’s idea of referencing the four primary elements of light, water, sound and air, when designing its interiors and its sales gallery (pictured above). He says, 'Our approach to this project was very much about collaboration and the complementary process between our practice and Tadao Ando’s. We were inspired by the idea of elemental living, and how we could embrace environmental elements through thoughtful design.'
Ando expresses his feelings about having a presence in New York just as poetically. 'Manhattan is a very special city. I feel like the city itself is the largest man-made architecture of 20th and 21st century, and in such a city I wanted to create something that does not specify the time.
'Whether it’s an interior or a ground-up project, for me architecture is about creating a space, harmony with the surrounding nature and environment, and an experience. I try my best to create a space [with these] necessary qualities in all of my projects around the world.'
The beautifully formed, seven-storey, seven-residence building is being developed by local firm Sumaida + Khurana.
152 Elizabeth Street bears all of Ando's signatures, seamlessly blending a poured-in-place concrete structure with a burnished metal framework and generous glass panels.
Designed by Gabellini Sheppard Associates, the Sales Gallery showcases the material finishes and signature lighting details that will be found throughout 152 Elizabeth and contains a model kitchen and master bathroom.
Simulating the entry vestibule of typical apartments, the Sales Gallery entry vestibule is finished with saw-cut Pietra Cardosa flooring and black absolute granite walls with an acid wash finish.
Ando’s idea of referencing the four primary elements of light, water, sound and air are reflected in Gabellini Sheppard Associates' design for the interior.
'We were inspired by the idea of elemental living, and how we could embrace environmental elements through thoughtful design,' says Michael Gabellini of Gabellini Sheppard Associates.
The model kitchen features custom stained eucalyptus cabinetry, appliances by Gaggenau and a custom sliding countertop island made of honed Fango marble by Italian brand Minimal.
Kitchens are lit by under-cabinet task lights, ceiling coves and recessed down lighting.
The model master bathroom showcases a Bianco Sivec marble wall and floor cladding and a vanity with amenity drawers made of glacier white Corian. Translucent glass shower and toilet enclosures emit natural light while also providing privacy.
'[The concept was to create a] glass box interlocked on an exposed concrete base creating the stability and transition from the dynamic urban fabric into a calm private residence,' explains Ando. Courtesy of Noë & Associates and The Boundary
-
‘Just beneath the surface there’s another world’: How David Lynch used hair and make-up to create his singular universeFrom Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive to Twin Peaks, David Lynch used hair and make-up in his films as a narrative device, writes Laura Havlin
-
Burns Night 2025: where to celebrate in LondonIt is time to raise a wee dram to Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns on Burns Night (25 January). Here is our pick of places to enjoy an evening of generous speechmaking, toasting, and drinking around London
-
Tag Heuer unveils sporty new collections at LVMH Watch Week 2025Tag Heuer has announced a series of new watches at LVMH Watch Week, including Formula 1 and Carrera editions
-
Reflections from Los Angeles: a local writer's personal account of the LA firesArchitecture writer and local resident Michael Webb reflects on the devastating 2025 Los Angeles fires and offers his personal account of the events of the last two weeks in California
-
LA Mayor Karen Bass outlines her plan for rebuilding the cityFollowing the devastating LA wildfires, which have destroyed more than 12,000 structures, the city’s mayor has outlined her plan for reconstruction
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Weisblat House, a Usonian modernist Michigan gem, could be yoursFrank Lloyd Wright’s Weisblat House in Michigan is on the market – a chance to peek inside the heritage modernist home in the countryside
-
Cabin House is a simple modernist retreat in the woods of North CarolinaDesigned for downsizing clients, Cabin House is a modest two-bedroom home that makes the most of its sylvan surroundings
-
A Texas ranch house blends Californian charm and Asian minimalism in a 'balance in hybridity'Pontious, a Texas ranch house designed by OWIU, is a home grounded in its owner's cultural identity, uniting Californian, Chinese and Japanese roots
-
The three lives of the Edith Farnsworth House: now, a modernist architecture icon open to allThe modernist Edith Farnsworth House has had three lives since its conception in 1951 by Mies van der Rohe; the latest is a sensitive renovation, and it's open to the public
-
Year in review: the top 12 houses of 2024, picked by architecture director Ellie StathakiThe top 12 houses of 2024 comprise our finest and most read residential posts of the year, compiled by Wallpaper* architecture & environment director Ellie Stathaki
-
A vacant Tribeca penthouse is transformed into a bright, contemporary eyrieA Tribeca penthouse is elevated by Peterson Rich Office, who redesigned it by adding a sculptural staircase and openings to the large terrace
