As the city with one of the most recognizable skylines in the world, architecture is a competitive game in New York City. Rest assured though that innovation and modern vision still dominates newer Manhattan structures, both inside and outespecially when it comes to the luxury apartment buildings that are thriving all across the city. Here are four of the most distinctive.
Mercedes House, Midtown West Luxury Rentals
With its zigzag construction, breathtaking domino-effect roof terraces (with unobstructed views of the Hudson) and glass-dominated façade, Mercedes House (at 550 W. 54th Street) isnt just a triumph of unique aesthetics, its a champion of green living too. Masterminded by Enrique Nortenan architect known for his boundary-pushing designsMercedes House is large living for the globally minded. Constructed from recycled and regionally-sourced materials and designed with a commitment to green energy and healthy air quality, Mercedes House is a futuristic visionand a very beautiful one at that.
737 Park Avenue Apartments
?Standing at the Northeast corner of 71st Street on the Upper East Side, 737 Park Avenue has all of the modern touches that come with being recently renovated, alongside all of the class and sleek nods to art deco design that come with being a building originally constructed in 1940. After entering through the dramatic nickel silver entry doors, lit by custom nickel silver lanterns, you reach the gorgeous black and white terrazzo floors and custom-designed chandeliers of the lobby. And while downstairs is like stepping back in timeor, at the very least, onto the set of Baz Luhrmanns Great Gatsbyapartments at 737 Park are the picture of modern convenience.
11 East 68, ?Upper East Side Apartments
The property that once stood at 11 East 68th Street remains memorable because of its sheer opulence. Henry Gurdon Marquands grand mansion was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt and completed in 1884. However, the original red brick and limestone structure was replaced in 1914 by an 11-storey, light brick apartment building. Out of respect for the previous property, one of the architects working on the new structure left nods to Marquandemblems featuring the letter M. In 2013, the building underwent another transformation when HFZ Capital turned the rental property into luxury condominiums. Its impossible to know what Henry Gurdon Marquand would make of it allbut the memory of him lives on in the Ms that still feature on the buildings façade.
The Greenwich Lane, Luxury West Village Condos
Easily one of the most unique places in all of New York City to make your home, The Greenwich Lane is made up of five separate buildings that form one magnificent community. The gorgeous complexwhich includes town houses, a modern apartment tower, mid-Century buildings, a swimming pool and a tranquil private gardenrepresents every stage of New York real estate history but, like the city itself, the old and the new merge together seamlessly. Interior design mastermind Thomas OBrien says: It was about two ends of the spectrum: traditional and modernand it was about finding the place in the middle They merge back and forth.