Photo courtesy DBOX
The XI, also known as the Eleventh, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), has topped off in New York. It is one the tallest development in Manhattan’s West Chelsea neighborhood. Looking over the famous High Line rail park with twisting towers, the project boasts city and river views from every window.
Spanning a full block, the 82,684-m2 (890,000-sf), mixed-use project is composed of two towers. A west tower of 34 stories that is 123 m (402 ft) tall and an east tower of 25 stories measuring 92 m (302 ft) tall. They are both set on an 18 to 26-m (60 to 85-ft) podium.
At the base, the two towers pull away from each other and the neighboring buildings to maximize urban space and views. As they rise, the towers morph and re-orient to take advantage of the views at the upper levels, while allowing for unobstructed views of the Hudson River toward the west and city views toward the south, east, and northeast. The twisting geometry at the corners of the towers reduces the overall bulk and creates additional separation between the buildings.
The façade design is inspired by the punched windows seen in the historic warehouses of the Meatpacking and West Chelsea neighborhoods. The façade patterning functions as an expression of the gridded structural logic of the building, which follows the movement of the towers’ geometry.
The project also includes below grade-parking, a five story commercial building, and a multi-level retail space with frontage below the High Line, facing a public plaza.
