Construction is currently underway on a pair of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)-designed towers in New York City named the XI (aka the Eleventh). The twin buildings will feature an unusual twisted form that's intended to maximize the view for residents.
The XI towers are located in Chelsea, Manhattan, next to the High Line. The taller of the pair will rise to a height of 402 ft (122.5 m) and comprise 34 floors, while the shorter will reach 302 ft (92 m)-tall and include 25 floors. The two buildings will be placed atop a like number of podiums, which will be linked together by a skybridge.
The interior of the taller tower will be given over wholly to high-end residences, while the shorter tower will host a mixture of homes and hotel spaces. Both towers will feature a patterned facade inspired by warehouses in the Meatpacking District and West Chelsea neighborhoods.
Their twisting design brings to mind BIG's Grove at Grand Bay. Indeed, the XI will twist for the same basic reason as the Miami project – namely, so as not to totally block out the view for residents in the opposite tower, nor offer a direct view into their homes.
"The geometry of the two towers is a direct response to the context," says BIG. "At the base, the two towers pull away from each other and the neighboring buildings to maximize urban space and views."
According to The New York Times, the XI will be completed by 2019, and residences are reported to start at US$2.8 million for a one-bedroom home, while a penthouse suite will cost $25 million.
Source: BIG
