Charlie West – Manhattan’s only new ground-up construction residential development in Hell’s Kitchen – is now complete. The striking 16-story condominium building, with exterior design by ODA Architects and interiors by the renowned Andres Escobar of Lemay + Escobar Architecture DPC, creates an urban oasis at 505 W. 43rd Street. 

With a judicious separation into two distinct buildings creating an elegant courtyard, the design weaves in the steely characteristics of the neighborhood’s past, combined with the luxury and modernism of present-day Hell’s Kitchen. The brick façade integrates with the surrounding buildings, while articulation of the façade introduces a distinguishing sculptural element of depth and style.

Upon arrival at Charlie West, the dramatic double-height hotel-style lobby draws one into the industrial chic-designed interior space that dually serves as a curated library and a private residential lounge, anchored by a grand fireplace. The welcoming area is framed by its distinctive diagonal beams, a structural necessity the designers maximized and made into a defining feature.

Escobar and his design team infused the neighborhood’s DNA throughout Charlie West’s spacious amenities and successfully curated an industrial yet modern and inviting interior design for the lounge, pool and gym, as well as the 120 residences, through the use of natural materials and opulent textures.

"The interiors at Charlie West transport you to another place and exude a relaxed vibe, with a very sophisticated palate. From the moment you step into the lounge-like lobby, with its sumptuous natural materials and dark urban tones, to the scenic pool with its serene spa-like feel, one could easily feel as though they are in a boutique hotel in Miami rather than a luxury condominium in Hell's Kitchen," says Escobar, Senior Partner and Design Principal at his eponymous firm. 

While original plans called for two stand-alone buildings, the ODA team was able to approach the design with an innovative perspective, creating one holistic living experience by way of a uniquely designed bike storage room.  By integrating a connecting path between the buildings with a 44-foot-long glass enclosed bike room, ODA was able to centralize the amenities and create a more spacious environment for residents without doubling up on lobbies, mailrooms and elevator banks. 

“The bike room in the courtyard area between the two buildings acts as a connecting corridor, which allowed us to create one unifying development, rather than two separate towers,” said Christian Bailey, Principal at ODA. “By creatively working within the constraints of the zoning laws, we were able to maximize common areas and recreational spaces that knit the building together to allow for a more communal and connected lifestyle.”

Reflecting the vibrancy of 43^rd Street, residents can enjoy various amenities including an indoor pool with open-air access, the 6,000 square-foot landscaped private courtyard, a contemporary children’s playroom, a state-of-the-art fitness center flooded with sunlight, and a translucent glass-enclosed “bike box” that reimagines typical bike storage as an innovative architectural centerpiece.

About Lemay + Escobar Architecture D.P.C. 

From interior design and architecture to artistic direction and curation, Lemay + Escobar Architecture D.P.C.  is all about creating seamless experiences that wow. Born in 2018, the firm combines NYC-driven Escobar Design with Montreal-based Lemay, as a globally-active integrated architecture and design firm. Together, their award-winning instincts and design excellence, backed by decades of experience creating sustainable living environments, offer unparalleled synergies in creating powerful experiences that resonate. At the vanguard of NYC’s reinvention and worldwide, Lemay + Escobar creates optimal, sustainable and measurable value for its clients, users and communities. lemayescobar.com | @lemayescobar

About ODA

ODA is an office of architecture based in New York. Since its inception in 2007, ODA has quickly emerged as one of the most recognized firms of its generation, promptly establishing a reputation for delivering imaginative and mold - breaking designs. Seeking to reorder architectural priorities by putting people first, ODA challenges conventional perspectives of dwelling that will, over time, influence life in our cities. Through a range of projects, ODA seeks to reconcile the conditions of vertical urban living with the qualities which benefit and nurture us as human beings: the desire for protected shelter while observing wide perspectives, the seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, and the general improvement of life through good design. This prolific firm has designed and built more than 50 projects in New York City alone and are expanding their breadth of work into US cities such as, Detroit, San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as overseas in London, Paris and Rotterdam – making them uniquely positioned to lead the discourse of living in urban environments. ODA’s buildings celebrate life, catalyzing change in their immediate environments. www.oda-architecture.com

Technical sheet – Charlie West Project (505w 43^rd Street)

LOCATION: New York, USA

ARCHITECTS: ODA Architecture

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE: June 2019

SURFACE AREA: ±20,210 SQ. FT

BUDGET: USD $82 M

NUMBER OF UNITS: 130

PROJECT TEAM

· Design Principal: Andres Escobar

. Project Director: Amro el Chabti

. Project Manager: Khaled Sleiman

. Principal Designer: Yuliana Weinberg

. Technical support: Arij Abdulrahim

INTERIOR DESIGN

. Design Principal: Andres Escobar

. Principal Designer: Yuliana Weinberg

ENGINEERING

Structural Engineer: WSP GROUP

Mechanical Engineer: KALLEN &LEMELSON CONSULTING ENGINEERS, LLP

Geotechnical Engineer: MEUSER RUTLEDGE CONCULTING ENGINEERS

Exterior Consultant: FRANK SETA AND ASSOCIATES

Code Consultant: CODE, LLC

Pool Consultant: TRACE POOL DESIGN/ LOTHROP ASSOCIATES, LLP

SUPPLIERS

Appliances: Thermador / Bosch

Plumbing Fixtures: ToTo

Stone: Ciot

Kitchens: Scavolini

Paint: Benjamin Moore

CONTRACTOR

New Line Structures

PHOTOGRAPHER

Inessa Binenbaum