One of the penthouses in Frank Gehry’s graceful paean to fluidity ‘New York by Gehry’ building has become vacant, as is available to rent. The unit at 8 Spruce Street will set you back $45K/month, though the 76th-floor views may almost be worth the slimming effect on the wallet.
New York by Gehry is a singular design, and instantly recognizable to New Yorkers, or those who follow contemporary urban architecture. Its textured exterior suggests natural process, and the energy flowing within it.
The design translates to the interiors, which may be appealing or not, depending on how comfortable an occupant is with a space which is defined by a continual sense of subversion. Many of the rooms—excluding those of a southern exposure, as the south wall is flat—undulate choppily with the form of the building, sending a feeling through spaces which might be subjectively interpreted as a source of curiosity or unease. And, the radical formalism of the exterior translates into crannies or alcoves in the common areas.
The spaces are marvelously open, with 12’ ceilings and effortless flow. They’re rendered in white, with modern-design ceilings and pale hardwood or high-gloss tile floors, giving them the detached, ethereal atmosphere which is all the rage these days.
Other concessions to current design fashion, though, include the molecular chandelier in the dining room. Please, not another one. When did clinical become so desirable? And, can this new style be considered ‘laboratory-hip’?
The kitchen is rendered in the current minimalist style, a stew of Scandinavian- and Japanese-influenced design philosophies. The 4,230 square-foot unit’s four bedrooms include a spacious master with a large dressing room and a walk-in closet, as well as a bath with heated floors and limestone walls. There are 3.5 baths in the main residence, but, interestingly, the unit’s layout includes a small, self-sufficient guest penthouse suite.
Penthouses in the building do not stay vacant for long. The building opened in the winter of 2011, and this penthouse has only listed a few times. It was last available to rent in 2015.
