A skyscraper is traditionally defined by its disconnection from the ground, while a hotel program traditionally attracts a high-end environment, typically found in Downtown or Midtown Manhattan.
In contrast, Manhattanville, Harlem, is an area mainly characterized by low-income housing and a local community in an urban environment, which is strikingly different from the southern areas of New York City.
We consider that a Manhattan-style approach would not be suitable for this site. Thus, the aim of the project is to mediate between these two components and create a new landmark that triggers the rebirth of the area.
The project is developed through the integration of different types of users and the creation of a new hybrid environment that is variegated, sustainable and affordable.
The building becomes a complex system composed of public and private elements – the hotel tower, the residential block, the community center and the vertical park. Each identity is strongly defined, and their interconnection creates a new layer of identity.
The building stems from the co-existence of a defined and solid social context, a new hotel concept, and a powerful new vertical greenscape. This new identity, which does not exist in New York City, proposes a hybrid typology that not only revitalizes neglected urban areas but also creates a new way of addressing the built landscape and the hotel typology.
