111 VARICK. new york

CLIENT: Robal Arlington, joint venture with Madigan Development SCOPE OF WORK: Architecture  LOCATION: New York, NY  STATUS: Built PROGRAM: Residential

111 Varick signals the next phase for Manhattan’s Hudson Square, transforming this once industrial neighborhood into a residential enclave on the westernmost boundary of SoHo. This 27-story, 108,000-sf building for developer Lou Madigan brings a mix of 100 affordable and market-rate rental units to this former commercial district, and is pursuing LEED Silver certification. On the ground floor, 1,667 sf of retail space with prime corner frontage activates a pedestrian-friendly streetscape, and nearby Freeman Plaza provides a series of renovated public greenspaces for congregation and recreation. Residents will enjoy protected, unobstructed views across the Hudson River, as well as dramatic vistas of Downtown and Midtown Manhattan. 111 Varick breathes vibrancy into what was once a manufacturing and commercial area, establishing a 24-hour neighborhood where SoHo and TriBeCa meet Greenwich Village.

S9 Architecture sought to celebrate New York City’s venerable and varied architectural precedents with the building’s design. 111 Varick’s stepped massing evokes the classic setbacks found on Gotham’s early skyscrapers, while the facade stylishly reinterprets the industrial aesthetic of the loft buildings nearby. The gridded fenestration pattern and a palette of industrially-inspired materials such as glass and blackened steel echoes the buildings in the surrounding vicinity. The use of sculptural elements in dark, pre-cast concrete adds a dimensional aspect to the grid, creating an undulating surface that captures the interplay of light and shadow. The site’s prominent corner location on a public plaza allows unobstructed street-level vantages of the building’s traditional form, cloaked within this dynamically textured facade.

S9 Architecture took a contextual approach to design that enables 111 Varick to resonate with the industrial character of Hudson Square’s existing architecture. This sensitive transformation turns a former parking garage in a pedestrian-prohibitive zone into a luxury residential tower that’s fully integrated within the surrounding urban fabric. Together with Renzo Piano’s 565 Broome and The Dominick hotel, 111 Varick rises to etch a new skyline above the western side of Manhattan.