Durst Fetner Residential have just announced the design of West 57; a 600-unit residential building on West 57th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues in New York.

The building has been designed by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) and will be the first North American project for the Danish firm who have opened a new office in New York in order to oversee the development and upcoming construction of the project.

The building’s program consists of over 600 residential units of different scales situated on a podium with a cultural and commercial mix too, and will additionally strive for LEED Gold Certification.

“BIG’s design is innovative, evocative and unique and the building’s beauty is matched only by its efficient and functional design that preserves existing view corridors while maximizing the new building’s access to natural light and views of the Hudson River." says Hal Fetner, CEO of Durst Fetner Residential, continuing:

"West 57th will establish a new standard for architectural excellence and its creative design, sustainable-construc­tion and operations, breathtaking views and distinctive amenities will make it New York’s most sought after residential address.”

The building is a hybrid between the European perimeter block and a traditional Manhattan high-rise, boasting a unique shape which combines the advantages of both: the compactness and efficiency of a courtyard building providing density, a sense of inti­macy and security, with the airiness and the expansive views of a skyscraper.

By keeping three corners of the block low and lifting the north-east corner up towards its 467 foot peak, the courtyard opens views towards the Hudson River, bringing low western sun deep into the block and graciously preserving the adjacent Helena Tower’s views of the river.

The form of the building shifts depending on the viewer’s vantage point. While appearing like a warped pyramid from the West-Side Highway, it turns into a slender spire from West 58th Street.

The courtyard which is inspired by the classic Copenhagen urban oasis, can be seen from the street and serves to extend the adjacent greenery of the Hudson River Park into the West 57th development.

The slope of the building allows for a transition in scale between the low-rise structures to the south and the high-rise residential towers to the north and west of the site. The highly visible sloping roof consists of a simple ruled surface perforated by terraces - each one unique and south-facing. The fishbone pattern of the walls are also reflected in its elevations.

Every apartment gets a bay window or a balcony to amplify the benefits of the generous view and balconies which encourage interaction between residents and passers-by.

“New York is rapidly becoming an increasingly green and livable city. The transformation of the Hudson River waterfront and the Highline into green parks, the ongoing effort to plant a million trees, the pedestrianization of Broadway and the creation of more miles of bicycle lanes than the entire city of my native Copenhagen are all evidence of urban oases appearing all over the city." says Bjarke Ingels.

"With West 57th we attempt to continue this transformation into the heart of the city fabric – into the center of a city block.”