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15 Central Park West Residential Tower

New York, New York

Client: Zeckendorf Development
Architect: Robert A.M. Stern Architects
Completion: 2008

A Manhattanite’s reverie and a realtor’s envy, the address of 15 Central Park West remains one of New York City’s most exclusive and glamorous properties. Residing just north of Columbus Circle, the residential building embraces its surrounding urban fabric of post-war architecture. Designed in the shape of an ‘H’ from an aerial vantage point, the $950 million building occupies an entire block: the eastern 19-story House overlooks the beloved Central Park, and the western 35-story Tower faces Broadway and the glitz of Lincoln Center. Within the central courtyard, a low-rise atrium divides the private driveway from the gathering space, which is softly lighted in the evening hours.

The main lobby off Central Park features an opulent convex cove, creating a comforting ambiance and expansive foyer. A host of custom sconces and pendants, inscribed with Stern’s classic style, decorate the communal library and dining room. Within the ellipsoidal arcade that connects the House with the Tower, a slender oculus filters the soft glow from the lantern, welcoming home its residents.

Within the lower level, the health club is richly lighted with linear fluorescents radiating from a central point around a curved wall. The indoor pool spa suffuses daylight through a long skylight, patterned by the calm water of the reflecting pool.