Summing up to a total of 865 units (rental and condos), the Mercedes House in the west of Midtown Manhattan combines commercial and residential spaces in a new, splendidly designed modern structure. Overlooking De Witt Clinton Park and the Hudson River, this terraced mixed-use building is programmed to be up and running this summer. Spreading over 1.3 million square feet, the building designed by Ten Arquitectos also features a public garden, sun deck, and mirrored courtyard. Two hundred parking spaces and a 55,000 square-foot auto showroom on ground floor reminds us of the building’s name. Sloping from New York’s telephone switching tower down to the De Witt Clinton Park, it composes a height transition between the two, challenging New York City to displays itself beautifully from the rooftop gardens at every floor. The building’s impressive size, measuring more than half a city block, allows the structure to look imposing, while the upper part was arranged to resemble a staircase. This allows each inhabitant to benefit from direct sunlight and connect to the cityscape without loosing the pleasure of enjoying the panorama from a terrace. Faceted with a silver perforated rain screen on the street-facing walls and a hybrid curtain wall on the interior, the Mercedes House will help change the cityscape and add a little breathing residential space to the surroundings.
