9.8K 
Recent images from our Forum reveal the progress at the site of 520 West 28th Street in New York City, where the installation of the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed tower's unique 3D cladding elements is moving along nicely. Located alongside the ever-popular High Line, the distinct 11-storey L-shaped residential tower is set to transform its immediate surroundings, bringing a bold new look to Chelsea.
Visible in the recent close-up images captured in early August, the installation of the unique 3D design element is adding a considerable amount of textural drama to the facade of the structure, bringing an almost organic quality to the otherwise steel and glass design.
Developed by The Related Companies, 520 West 28th Street's 11 storeys will consist of just 39 residential units, adding to the building's high level of exclusivity. A legacy project for the late Zaha Hadid, the design language of the undulating exterior is instantly recognizable as belonging to the firm, with each floor encased in its own set of repeated three-dimensional curves. Seen below, the overall effect of the exterior cladding can be made out more clearly, the horizontal elements terminating in repeated rounded edges that then carry down to each succeeding floor.
Viewed from the opposite side, the interior of the L-shaped tower has yet to receive its 3D detailing. The ghost outline of where it will be applied is clearly visible upon the glass window panes. Made of dark hand-rubbed metal panels, the undulating cladding detail is informed in large part by the cast iron construction of the nearby High Line, which dates to the early twentieth century.
Once complete, sometime in 2017, the tower will feature a rage of two- to five-bedroom units, each with 10-foot ceilings and up to 6,300 square feet in the largest penthouse suites. All of the units will feature a set of Zaha Hadid-inspired interior touches, including white marble kitchen islands, high-gloss cabinetry, and a beautiful, sculpted spiral staircase within the three-storey top floor penthouse. Amenities will include an outdoor terrace, swimming pool, Turkish spa, private IMAX theatre (the only one of its kind in NYC), valet parking, and automated storage units modelled after Swiss vaults.
The finished structure will serve to transform the local skyline, and will surely be a bold new addition to Chelsea and the High Line vicinity. As a legacy project for the firm, this building will be among the last to be designed firsthand by the late, great Zaha Hadid, who passed away this spring.
SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
