The residential complex with 134 apartments is the first "full-fledged" building, built according to the OMA project in New York. Despite the close connection of the history of the bureau with this metropolis, previous similar proposals remained on paper: among them it is worth highlighting another house in Manhattan, conceived before the crisis of the late 2000s.
121 East 22nd is located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 23rd Street, and on the border of quiet Gramercy and lively Madison Square. The town planning significance of this point is reflected in the decision of the corner of the new building: it is a broken "cubist" line. The authors of the project believe that it simultaneously embodies the view of the object from different points of view; a similar method - combined with flattening - can be found in the canvases of the Cubists. At ground level, the corner has been truncated to give more space for pedestrians and also to mark the entrance to the shopping area (1600 m2).
The facades running off in two directions from the spectacular corner are more restrained, as they border on traditional buildings of the first half of the 20th century. But this 18-storey southern building is not the only one: it is complemented by a 13-storey northern one, which has a street facade with energetic "sunken windows", also reminiscent of Cubism. It is there that the main entrance for residents is located.
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zooming 1/3 Residential complex 121 East 22nd Photo © Iwan Baan. Courtesy of OMA
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zooming 2/3 Residential complex 121 East 22nd Photo © Iwan Baan. Courtesy of OMA
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zooming 3/3 Residential complex 121 East 22nd Photo © Iwan Baan. Courtesy of OMA
The dark color of the sandblasted modular concrete panels on the outside contrasts with the “super white” travertine of the lobby and other public areas, as well as the light color of the courtyard with rows of terraced balconies. Their complex shapes are made of perforated aluminum. On the basement level and on the third floor there is a swimming pool, a gym, a salon, an open terrace, a dining room with a kitchen for banquets, a children's playroom and a cinema for residents. There is a terrace with an open kitchen on the roof, and there is a public space in the yard. The complex also includes an automated garage (563 m2) and a bicycle storage room.
The living area is 22 497 m2. Apartments range in size from studios (70-110 m2) to the only five-bedroom dwelling in the house (332 m2).
