Invented by the Mesopotamians and perfected by the ancient Romans, the arch is one of mankind's most remarkable engineering and architectural feats. While its usage is best known for supporting monumental structures such as bridges and cathedrals, smaller arched elements are abundant throughout architecture, old and new. With much of New York City's housing stock built during pre-war Classical Revival periods, arched windows, doorways, and loggias are rather commonplace in the city, especially in older Manhattan and Brooklyn neighborhoods.
As for individual apartments and homes, the vintage appearance of arched openings brings a timeless appeal to spaces, whether traditional or contemporary. Since they are far less common than rectangular openings, arches enhance the architectural image of your home as their soft curves gently open up spaces while adding a distinctive touch.
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New York builders and architects have once again taken notice of the arch's enduring qualities, spurring a small renaissance of new buildings with arched windows. Such new condos in NYC include 130 William by David Adjaye, 520 Fifth Avenue by KPF, and Brooklyn condos like Parlour, Luna, and The Graham. Furthermore, many prewar-inspired condo buildings designed by Morris Adjmi Architects and Robert A.M. Stern Architects employ arched windows for certain segments of their buildings, often times reserved for the most spectacular units of a building.
Not all arches are created equal. And like all windows, if the proportions of the windows clash with the interior or exterior, they can be awkward of gimmicky. Some new developments have composed nearly the entirety of their facade with arched windows such as 130 William and a shelved design for 31-35 Lispenard Street in Tribeca. Such usage can come off just as monotonous as standard rectangular fenestration.
Find below an ode to the arch, a round-up of local listings with magnificent arched windows that promise to serve as conversation pieces in addition to eternally warming your home.
Select NYC residences with arched windows
Cast Iron Building, #518 (Compass)
100 West 15th Street, #4BC (Compass)
50 Pine Street, #PH12S (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
311 East 83rd Street, #1A (Corcoran Group)
City View Gardens, #5E (Compass)
The Rialto, #1I (Corcoran Group)
24 West 70th Street, #PH4 (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
LUNA, #PH7B (Corcoran Group)
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83 Walker Street, #6 (Corcoran Group)
35 East 10th Street, #8BC (Compass)
84 Oak Street, #3B (Serhant)
The North Moore, #PHC (Corcoran Group)
The Standish, #1A (Corcoran Group)
48 Great Jones Street, #7F (Decode Real Estate)
714 Broadway, #8 (Compass)
7 East 17th Street, #3S
$5,295,000 (-3.6%)
Flatiron/Union Square | Condominium | 1 Bedroom, 2 Baths | 2,800 ft2
7 East 17th Street, #3S (Nest Seekers LLC)
The Woolworth Tower Residences, #41B
$5,499,000 (-6.6%)
Tribeca | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, Unknown Baths | 2,548 ft2
The Woolworth Tower Residences, #41B (Sothebys International Realty)
108 Leonard, #4N (Corcoran Group)
140 Fifth Avenue, #2 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
85 Leonard Street, #PH (Serhant)
15 Union Square West, #16
$7,995,000
Flatiron/Union Square | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 2,849 ft2
15 Union Square West, #16 (Triumph Property Group Ltd)
21 Bond Street, #PH (Compass)
520 Fifth Avenue, #PH78 (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)
The Schumacher, #5A (Corcoran Group)
67 Vestry Street, #TH (Corcoran Group)
152 Reade Street, # (Nest Seekers LLC)
130 William, #PH65 (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)
The Block House, #TH
$18,500,000
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Townhouse | 6+ Bedrooms, 6+ Baths | 10,000 ft2
The Block House, # (Nest Seekers LLC)
American Tract Society Building, #PH
$20,000,000
Financial District | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 4 Baths | 6,355 ft2
American Tract Society Building, #PH (Compass)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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