Solar Carve Tower Adds New Dimension to New York City's Skyline
New York's meatpacking district, once the ramshackle home of the city's wholesale butchers and warehouses, has become one of its trendiest regions, thanks to the creation of the High Line park and the area's ever-increasing real estate values.
One of the latest additions to the area—between the popular elevated park and the Hudson River—is an innovative building dubbed the Solar Carve Tower. Designed by Studio Gang, one of the glass tower's facades resembles a pattern of diamond facets; The 160,000-square-foot building's sculpted geometric windows were carefully angled to maximize interior exposure to sunlight.
The design is rooted in the architecture firm's focus on buildings that revolve around the sun's orientation—aptly known as “solar carving." For the Solar Carve Tower, the architects pushed its mass to the west, and then carved it back in order to optimize the amount of light and healthy air flowing to the High Line.
The three-dimensional glass units also create private balconies for the tenants.
Let there be light. Large terraces adjacent to the High Line park provide open spaces around the building. The building features more than 20,000-square-feet of outdoor space, including a 10,000-square-foot roof deck, and an 8,000-square-foot second-floor outdoor space adjacent to the park.
Iconic design. The 10-story building on Tenth Avenue, between West 13th and 14th Streets, features an innovative curtain wall and distinctive chiseled shape.
On the High Line. The Solar Carve building was developed by Aurora Capital and William Gottlieb Real Estate. It is among a number of new projects sparked by development of the High Line, an old elevated railway that has been converted into a public park.
Mixed-use development. The ground floor retail space in the new building at 40 Tenth Avenue will be home to the U.S. interactive marketing center for Genesis, Hyundai's luxury automotive brand. Starwood Capital Group Holdings, a private investment firm, has already leased the entire eighth floor of the building. The Meatpacking District has become a magnet for tech companies and retailers, such as Google, Palantir, Alibaba, Live Nation, and Theory.
Overlooking the Hudson River. Tenants of the new building will have panoramic views of the Hudson River, the High Line, and the lower Manhattan skyline.
Where the action is. The meatpacking district has become one of the hippest and most popular neighborhoods in the city. New culinary and retail destinations include Restoration Hardware's flagship store, Hermés, Loro Piana, Dior, and the much-anticipated comeback of Kevin McNally's Pastis restaurant.
Designed for the sun. According to architect Jeanne Gang, the building's glazing system has been geometrically optimized into a pattern of three-dimensional facets that articulate the carved sections of the tower. The curtain wall unit is composed of a central diamond-shaped panel tilting downward, surrounded by four triangular pieces that are perpendicular to the slab to achieve standard stack joints where units from adjoining floors meet. The carved curtain wall helps to block sun glare and heat gain, and also creates unique corner workspaces. The facade also includes high-performance glass with low reflectivity.