May 1, 2023 marks the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. May was chosen in honor of the arrival of the first Japanese to the United States in the mid-19th century, and it is now a time to celebrate the contributions that generations of AAPIs have made to American history and culture. That can certainly be seen throughout New York City in the form of food, fashion, art, music, and architecture.
We look at New York City residential buildings designed by notable AAPI architects, from Pritzker Prize laureates to local talent quickly making its mark on the city. These are some of the city’s most in-demand buildings – only a small handful of apartments for sale may be found among the buildings featured below!
We look at New York City residential buildings designed by notable AAPI architects, from Pritzker Prize laureates to local talent quickly making its mark on the city. These are some of the city’s most in-demand buildings – only a small handful of apartments for sale may be found among the buildings featured below!
In this article:
I.M. Pei
Pritzker Prize laureate I.M. Pei is best known for the glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris, the East Building at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. In addition to the Silver Towers complex at New York University, he has designed a small number of residential buildings in New York City
1 unit | 4 stories
Renovated by I.M. Pei
Renovated by I.M. Pei
11 Sutton Place (Christie's International Real Estate)
I.M. Pei (Wiki Commons); 11 Sutton Place
11 Sutton Place (Christie's International Real Estate)
This article will focus on multi-family New York City buildings, but an exception must be made for the Sutton Place townhouse where Mr. Pei and his wife, Eileen, lived for 45 years. During that time, Mr. Pei’s renovations to the house included installing dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows to overlook a shared back garden, designing soapstone mantles for three of the four fireplaces, and putting in a dramatic spiral staircase and an oblong skylight above it. When he wasn’t enhancing his home, he was working on his designs in his home study.
The Peis bought the house for $215,000 (not a typo!) in the early 1970s, and it sold for $8,600,000 in September 2021. At that time, the listing agent told The Wall Street Journal, “I.M. Pei and his legacy definitely played a big part in the marketability of the house.”
The Peis bought the house for $215,000 (not a typo!) in the early 1970s, and it sold for $8,600,000 in September 2021. At that time, the listing agent told The Wall Street Journal, “I.M. Pei and his legacy definitely played a big part in the marketability of the house.”
33 West 56th Street
48 units | 17 stories
Completed in 2009
1 availability for $2,895,000
48 units | 17 stories
Completed in 2009
1 availability for $2,895,000
Centurion
When the supertalls of Billionaires’ Row were still on the drawing board, the Pei-designed Centurion brought a touch of celebrity architect stardust to what was then a ho-hum section of Midtown West. While not the tallest building on its block, it stands out in the streetscape for its soft limestone facade, cascading terraces, and five “lanterns,” as Pei described the five double-height windows. Interiors feature high ceilings, teak floors, and custom kitchens.
Centurion, #9D (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
300-343 East 33rd Street
1,100+ units | 21 stories
Completed in 1961
3 availabilities from $795,000
1,100+ units | 21 stories
Completed in 1961
3 availabilities from $795,000
Kips Bay Towers lobby
Kips Bay is in the midst of a residential renaissance that has attracted acclaimed architects, and Mr. Pei was an early entrant with the four-building Kips Bay Towers complex. An early plan called for six buildings, but Pei wanted fewer so as to create more open space; decades later, the three-acre private garden is one of the chief selling points. It is surrounded by four buildings with oversized picture windows and minimalist-style facades.
Kips Bay Towers, #3P (Compass)
Shigeru Ban
When Japanese-born architect Shigeru Ban was named the Pritzker Prize laureate of 2014, the committee cited the Centre Pompidou-Metz in France and his imaginative disaster relief shelters all over the world. However, his esteemed portfolio includes two of New York's most eye-catching downtown buildings.
524 West 19th Street
9 units | 11 stories
Completed in 2008
No current availabilities
9 units | 11 stories
Completed in 2008
No current availabilities
Metal Shutter Houses (Douglas Elliman)
In a neighborhood that has attracted no shortage of acclaimed architects from all over the world, the Ban-designed Metal Shutter House stands out for the perforated metal shutters that open and close across the entire breadth of the full-floor apartments inside. Not only does this create seamless indoor-outdoor living space, but the opening and closing of the shutters changes the look of the building as a whole.
67 Franklin Street
13 units | 8 stories
Converted in 2014
2 availabilities from $12,000,000
13 units | 8 stories
Converted in 2014
2 availabilities from $12,000,000
Cast Iron House (Serhant)
Metal Shutter Houses (see above) was Pritzker Prize laureate Mr. Ban’s first condominium in the United States, but not the last: When a Tribeca cast-iron textile factory was converted to condos in the early 2010s, the developers brought Mr. Ban on to revamp the interiors as a whole and add two setback stories for a pair of penthouses on top. The Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously approved the project, calling it “lyrical, beautiful, and rigorous,” and the finished penthouses feature movable walls of glass that open onto private terraces.
Cast Iron House, #PHWEST (Corcoran Group)
Tadao Ando
Pritzker Prize laureate Tadao Ando's works throughout the United States include the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts in St. Louis, and the Clark Art Institute in Massachusetts. However, his first residential work in the United States may be found in New York City.
7 units | 7 stories
Completed in 2018
1 availability for $5,580,000
Completed in 2018
1 availability for $5,580,000
152 Elizabeth Street (The Modlin Group)
Nolita is one of New York’s busiest and most exciting downtown neighborhoods, but one would never know that at 152 Elizabeth Street, which its Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Tadao Ando, has said “should give a quiet feeling” (h/t World Architecture). The building features a Zen-inspired minimalist facade as well as a living ivy wall. Only seven custom-crafted units allow for optimal privacy, and all enjoy private keyed elevator access, oversized windows, and peaceful interiors.
152 Elizabeth Street, #3E
$5,850,000
NoLiTa/Little Italy | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths | 1,968 ft2
152 Elizabeth Street, #3E (Compass)
SO-IL
(l-r) SO-IL principals Jing Liu and Florian Idenburg; Rendering of Nine Chapel (SO-IL)
The Brooklyn-based, award-winning SO-IL, led by Jing Liu and Florian Idenburg, has attracted attention all over the world for its eye-catching designs that, in their words, are "both respectful of their pasts and adaptable to a dynamic future." This is especially important and appreciated for the residential works they bring to their hometown.
18 units | 5 stories
Completed in 2021
No current availabilities
Completed in 2021
No current availabilities
450 Warren Street (Tankhouse and SO-IL)
As of this writing, all units at 450 Warren Street are spoken for. This building with covered outdoor foyers and private terraces in every unit came on the market in the late days of the pandemic, when buyers had been cooped up inside for a long time. However, between its green terrazzo-ground concrete facade, open-air courtyard entry, central atrium, and beautifully appointed apartments, it would undoubtedly have attracted attention at any time.
9 Chapel Street
27 units | 14 stories
Completed in 2024
5 availabilities from $1,060,000
27 units | 14 stories
Completed in 2024
5 availabilities from $1,060,000
Nine Chapel (Corcoran Group)
Across the street from the historic St. James Cathedral Basilica, Nine Chapel makes a statement of its own with its tall height, wedding cake massing, and perforated metal facade. Like 450 Warren Street (see above), there is a strong emphasis on indoor/outdoor living: The building is reached via a landscaped entrance, and all units were designed as corner units with at least two exposures and massive private terraces that evoke front porches.
Nine Chapel, #5A (Corcoran Group)
46 units | 8 stories
Completion estimated for 2025
Completion estimated for 2025
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Rendering of 144 Vanderbilt Avenue (SO-IL
Work is underway on 144 Vanderbilt Avenue, an airy new rental rising on the former site of a gas station. With its terra cotta facade, oversized windows, and numerous green spaces depicted in the renderings, it looks like the future renters will enjoy the same indoor-outdoor living their sales counterparts do.
Tsao & McKown Architects
Zack McKown and Calvin Tsao (Rebecca Westby); 15 William (CityRealty)
Award-winning firm Tsao & McKown's extensive portfolio includes the Sangha development in China, Wheatleigh Hotel in the Berkshires, the Washington Monument Visitors' Center, and exhibitions in museums all over the world. Between all that, they also found time to design a number of New York City residential buildings.
15 William Street
319 units | 47 stories
Completed in 2008
8 availabilities from $990,000
319 units | 47 stories
Completed in 2008
8 availabilities from $990,000
15 William (CityRealty)
Also known as William Beaver House, this tower is distinguished by the "dripping" of yellow bricks down the dark gray brick facade. The oversized windows allow for incredible natural light in every unit, and residents enjoy an array of indoor and outdoor amenities.
15 William NY, #46B (MANTUS REAL ESTATE)
92 Laight Street
68 units | 13 stories
Completed in 2004
1 availability for $3,350,000
68 units | 13 stories
Completed in 2004
1 availability for $3,350,000
River Lofts (CityRealty)
Tsao & McKown is well known for both its adaptive reuse projects and new construction. Comprising a newly built tower and restored Romanesque Revival-style warehouse, River Lofts would appear to encompass the best of both worlds.
River Lofts, #4H (Corcoran Group)
40 units | 15 stories
Converted in 2004
1 availability for $4,395,000
Converted in 2004
1 availability for $4,395,000
225 Lafayette Street
The building on the corner of Spring and Lafayette Streets dates back to the early 20th century, when it was designed by Cass Gilbert as the home of the East River Savings and Loan Company. Nearly a century later, amidst the conversion to residential, a new penthouse was added to the roof and apartments with original details were carved out of the interiors.
The Spring, #6D (Compass)
Nobutaka Ashihara & Associates
Founded by its namesake in 1978, Nobutaka Ashihara Architect is also at the hub of A-Architects.net, a network of architecture firms with commissions all over the world. This includes New York, where they are marking their mark on prominent neighborhoods.
100 West 39th Street
90 units | 43 stories
Completed in 2006
4 availabilities from $789,000
90 units | 43 stories
Completed in 2006
4 availabilities from $789,000
Bryant Park Tower (CityRealty)
Years before a Midtown rezoning to allow for more housing was the center of debate, Nobutaka Ashihara Architect was ahead of the game with this corner tower. There it stands out for its soaring height as well as its simple design without complicated setbacks. The condo units start on top of a Residence Inn by Marriott, the better to make the most of views of the nearby Bryant Park, and residents have access to an exclusive amenity package.
Bryant Park Tower, #39F
$1,514,700 (-10%)
Midtown West | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,261 ft2
Bryant Park Tower, #39F (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
Tang Studio
Boutique architecture firm Tang Studio's extensive portfolio includes adaptive reuse, new buildings, restaurants, and the transformation of a deconsecrated Catholic church into a charter facility for Capital Preparatory Schools. As the following projects demonstrate, they show no sign of slowing down.
438 units | 26 stories
Completion estimated for 2024
Completion estimated for 2024
Building facade (Tang Studio)
In its heyday as a hotel by Ian Schraeger and Phillippe Starck, the Hudson Hotel attracted the likes of Jon Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, Debbie Harry, and Paul McCartney. However, that wasn’t enough to keep it from becoming a pandemic casualty. Developer CSC Coliving bought the building for $207 million in July 2022, and Tang Studio is working with them on transforming the hotel rooms into apartments with an emphasis on community living. A recent site visit saw work well underway.
131 units | 12 stories
Completion estimated for 2026
Completion estimated for 2026
Rendering of 58-01 Queens Plaza Boulevard (Tang Studio)
Following the groundbreaking in September 2023, work is underway on a new building set to transform the corner of Queens Boulevard and 58th Street. Early renderings show a pale gray brick building towering over its neighbors and featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, not to mention multiple setbacks that allow for private terraces in every unit. Additional amenities are set to include a fitness center, personal storage, a children's playroom, indoor and outdoor resident lounges, and parking facilities.
Raymond Chan Architect
In 1991, company founder Raymond Chan was nominated by the Mayoral Committee to be one of the New York City Planning Commission’s committee members. In the decades that have followed, his firm has garnered further attention in New York for bringing contemporary new buildings to neighborhoods on the rise.
82 units | 21 stories
Completion TBD
Completion TBD
Rendering of 335 Fifth Avenue (Raymond Chan Architect)
To the disappointment of architecture aficionados all over the city, demolition permits were filed for the Demarest Building on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street in September 2020. A short time later, renderings of a glassy replacement were revealed. The first renderings showed private balconies jutting out of the building, but more recent designs show a more streamlined facade with setbacks that allow for terraces.
11-36 45th Road, Long Island City
119 units | 7 stories
Completion estimated for 2025
Completion estimated for 2025
Rendering of 11-36 45th Road (Raymond Chan Architect)
In August 2022, permits were filed to build a new rental building on the former site of the Science of the Soul Study Center, a meditation center that operates as a house of worship. Renderings depict a glassy new building with floor-to-ceiling windows, setback terraces, and a clear line of demarcation between commercial and residential space. It will also include space for a house of worship.
Angelo Ng and Anthony Ng Architects Studio, PC
Over the years, Angelo Ng and Anthony Ng Architects Studio, PC has made a name for itself designing multi-family buildings throughout Queens. The building boom shows no sign of slowing down, and has extended to firm headquarters in Flushing.
131-02 40th Road
382 units | 20 stories
Completion TBD
382 units | 20 stories
Completion TBD
Rendering of Flushing Point Plaza (Angelo Ng and Anthony Ng Architects Studio PC)
Plans for Flushing Point Plaza date back to September 2016, when the first plans for a complex with two residential towers and a hotel were filed. More recently, further details were revealed about the residential component's apartments and amenities, which will include a package room, fitness center, lounge, terrace, bike room, and on-site parking.
28-08 38th Avenue, Long Island City
50 units | 7 stories
Completion estimated for 2024
Completion estimated for 2024
Rendering of 28-08 38th Avenue (Angelo Ng and Anthony Ng Architects Studio, PC)
Long Island City's building boom shows no sign of slowing down, as witnessed by 28-08 38th Avenue: The seven-story building is rising on the former site of a commercial warehouse and is set to bring 50 rental units, an art studio, and retail space to the neighborhood. Renderings show a light-colored facade, oversized windows, and private balconies in select units. Construction is well underway, and completion is estimated for this summer.
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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