Residential block with 11-storeys facing onto East 126th Street and a six-storey volume extending over an existing adjacent building. Clad in blackened stainless steel panels, the north facade slopes gently inwards as it rises.

East 126 is a new residential block in Harlem, New York, connecting bustling 125th Street with quieter 126th Street via a retail space and two-storey public gallery at street level. The building’s T-shaped footprint has created a wide range of apartment sizes and configurations to encourage a diverse community of residents.

One of the building’s three ‘wings’ comprises six storeys that extend over an existing commercial building, appearing to float above. On 126th Street, the building’s facade has been designed to slope gently inwards as it rises, allowing more sunlight onto the residential street. A communal landscaped rooftop features pools, decking and gardens to encourage a range of social activities.

Eckersley O’Callaghan has assisted with the engineering, development and tender of the facade systems, which consist of large format custom blackened stainless steel panels and metal cladding, with a glazed unitised facade arranged in a checkerboard pattern. This patterned facade panel system allows each residential unit to have floor-to-ceiling windows. Our detailed design of an adjustable stack joint facilitated the facade’s complex inclined geometry.

Our team assisted in compiling a shortlist of trade contractors, providing support during interviews and reviews of the tendering process, and has been involved in monitoring the installation on site.

Location
Manhattan, NY

Client
Blumenfeld Development

Architect
BIG