Photo courtesy Inessa Binenbaum
Charlie West, Manhattan’s only new ground-up construction residential development in Hell’s Kitchen, is now complete. The 16-story condominium building, with exterior design by ODA Architects and interiors by Lemay + Escobar Architecture DPC, seeks to create an urban oasis.
With a judicious separation into two distinct buildings creating a courtyard, the design weaves in the steely characteristics of the neighborhood’s past, combined with the luxury and modernism of present-day Hell’s Kitchen. The brick façade integrates with the surrounding buildings, while articulation of the façade introduces a distinguishing sculptural element of depth and style.
The dramatic double-height hotel-style lobby at Charlie West draws one into the industrial chic-designed interior space that dually serves as a curated library and a private residential lounge, anchored by a grand fireplace. The welcoming area is framed by its distinctive diagonal beams, a structural necessity the designers maximized and made into a defining feature.
Escobar and his design team infused the neighborhood’s DNA throughout Charlie West’s amenities and curated an industrial, yet modern and inviting interior design for the lounge, pool and gym, as well as the 120 residences, through the use of natural materials and opulent textures.
While original plans called for two stand-alone buildings, the ODA team was able to approach the design with an innovative perspective, creating one holistic living experience by way of a uniquely designed bike storage room. By integrating a connecting path between the buildings with a 13-m (44-ft) long glass enclosed bike room, ODA was able to centralize the amenities and create a more spacious environment for residents without doubling up on lobbies, mailrooms, and elevator banks.
“The bike room in the courtyard area between the two buildings acts as a connecting corridor, which allowed us to create one unifying development, rather than two separate towers,” said Christian Bailey, principal at ODA. “By creatively working within the constraints of the zoning laws, we were able to maximize common areas and recreational spaces that knit the building together to allow for a more communal and connected lifestyle.”
Reflecting the vibrancy of 43rd Street, residents can enjoy various amenities including an indoor pool with open-air access, the 557-m2 (6000-sf) landscaped private courtyard, a contemporary children’s playroom, a state-of-the-art fitness center flooded with sunlight, and a translucent glass-enclosed ‘bike box’ that reimagines typical bike storage as an innovative architectural centerpiece.
