100 11th Avenue, the Apartment Building, by Jean Nouvel
100 11th Avenue, the Apartment Building, by Jean Nouvel
In 1987, maverick French architect Jean Nouvel solved onto the international scene with a new headquarters for the Arab World Institute in Paris, one of President François Mitterrand’s Grands Projets.
100 11th Avenue, the Apartment Building, by Jean Nouvel
With mechanized oculi and veils of glass and steel, the apartment building was welcomed as an unconventional masterpiece that encouraged people to not only accept modern architecture in a historic setting, but to be thrilled by it. In conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Arab World Institute, construction started in New York City on Nouvel’s latest glass and steel landmark, a direct material and conceptual descendant of his Paris tour de force. The modern apartment became a 23-story tower described by its architect as “a vision machine” at the intersection of 19th Street and the West Side Highway, along the Hudson River in Manhattan. The building’s gently curving curtain wall of different sized panes of colorless glass – each set in a unique angle and torque – would sheath one of the most meticulously customized, high performance residential addresses in the nation. This dazzling window pattern enchased splendid views from within the tower while producing an exterior texture that offered as a poetic analog for the vibrancy, density and changeability of New York City. The 100 11th was described as “a vision machine,” with every angle and structural detail designed to create visual excitement. Approximately 1,650 different windowpanes consisted of the most highly engineered and complex curtain wall ever constructed in New York City. The curtain wall of 100 11th seized daylight differently over the course of the day and the year. A surface that appeared to brighten and go dark as if by computer program was, in fact, created dynamic by the movement of the Earth. These daily and seasonal changes increased the senses and foster a connection to nature.
100 11th Avenue, the Apartment Building, by Jean Nouvel
The newly-completed 100 11th Avenue was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, an apartment block in Chelsea, New York, with every glass panel of the curtain wall tilted at a different angle. The apartment design showed over 1,650 different window panes across its curved surface. All photographs were by Philippe Ruault.
This old apartment block turn into studio and living for architect and product designer. Basic on building time and space experiment and exploration to create modern spaces. The façade exterior painted with black oil, including the large windows. New windows structure inserted between old windows and brick wall, create architectural spectacle design. Ground level area contains a big workshop on the inside and a bamboo garden on the outside. First floor contains kitchen dining and living room. Second floor contains bedroom, bathroom and walk-in cabinet. And last, the roof converted into greenhouse garden, completed with garden terrace and Jacuzzi. Hmm… really lovely home. The interior has a completely new interior arrangement. Wooden laths that forms as enormous sculptural element and half open floor structure create new space perspective. Certain walls painted with white color, but not polished, so some original scratch pattern shown up. Certain walls is left untouched, combine with new grey wall partition and black flooring, make this house interior really sophisticated. Designed by Studio Roft and Zecc architects for façade.
AvalonBay, a Ballston based corporation that as been augmenting its apartment portfolio throughout the greater Washington DC area, is under contract to purchase and develop nearly a full block just off the H Street corridor. Jonathan B. Cox, Senior Vice President of Development of AvalonBay, confirms that 318 I Street, NE, is currently under contract with the plan of building 140 rental apartments, with ambitions to break ground by the year's end. The site is just one block north of the spot where Steuart Investment Co. has announced plans to build a Giant grocery store and 215 apartments.
Although the size is modest, paired with Steuart's building the added density could help develop viable retail for H Street's western end, which has been stagnant compared to the Atlast District at the opposite end. "We really like the H Street Market," said Cox. "We are investing in it because we think its unique enough to separate from NoMa." The space will only house residential space. "We don't believe retail is viable in this location on I Street," said Cox.
The developer has chosen an architect but remains mum about the plans for now. What we do know: "It's not a typical D.C. architect," said Cox. "I think it'll be more contemporary and a more unique architectural style than what's now on the market." AvalonBay has also been buying and building, including the Avalon Park Crest, a 354-unit building planned for Tysons with construction to start later this year.
318 I Street NE, which AvalonBay will acquire by a lender sale, had been owned by Broadway Development, but had gone into foreclosure in 2009, around the same time Broadway lost Senate Square next door. The lender acquired the property in July of 2009 for $1.69 million. The space currently houses the vacant site of Uptown Baker, eight underground gasoline storage tanks were removed from the property in 2005.
