Architecture

NYC tower design gets a BIG twist

NYC tower design gets a BIG twist
The twisting design is somewhat reminiscent of BIG's Grove at Grand Bay
The twisting design is somewhat reminiscent of BIG's Grove at Grand Bay
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Construction is currently underway on the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)-designed XI (aka the Eleventh) in NYC
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Construction is currently underway on the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)-designed XI (aka the Eleventh) in NYC
The XI will comprise two twisting towers
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The XI will comprise two twisting towers
The XI towers are located in Chelsea, Manhattan, next to the High Line elevated park
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The XI towers are located in Chelsea, Manhattan, next to the High Line elevated park
The XI towers will rise to a height of 402 ft (122.5 m) and 302 ft (92 m)
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The XI towers will rise to a height of 402 ft (122.5 m) and 302 ft (92 m)
The twisting design is somewhat reminiscent of BIG's Grove at Grand Bay
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The twisting design is somewhat reminiscent of BIG's Grove at Grand Bay
"The geometry of the two towers is a direct response to the context," says BIG
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"The geometry of the two towers is a direct response to the context," says BIG
Architectural drawing explaining the thinking behind the unusual design of the XI
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Architectural drawing explaining the thinking behind the unusual design of the XI
Architectural drawing explaining the thinking behind the unusual design of the XI
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Architectural drawing explaining the thinking behind the unusual design of the XI
View gallery - 8 images

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.

Construction is currently underway on the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)-designed XI (aka the Eleventh) in NYC
Construction is currently underway on the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)-designed XI (aka the Eleventh) in NYC

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

View gallery - 8 images
2 comments
2 comments
reese
The large (front?) side is death for birds as it slants back therefore reflecting the sky.
StWils
In the early sixties the then brand new Hartford Life Insurance building scattered pedestrians and cars like toys with winds of 60 to 80 miles an hour at ground level. Wind above ground might move at 20 to 30 mph but because of the building's airfoil shape that wind would compress and shed from the wall surface at 60 to 80 mph at street level. Architects abruptly learned that their buildings have an aerodynamic impact no one had been looking for. A series of baffles and winglets was devised to disperse these winds before hitting street level to fix the Hartford's inherent flaws. Since then architects have worked hard to understand how a proposed design would fit it's location and how it would interact with adjacent buildings. About 10 to 15 years ago an architect, (I don't recall whom), figured out that curving or twisting a building will very nicely disperse winds flowing past the building. Hence, many tall buildings now twist to scatter, deflect, and "spill" incident winds.