hudson yards: everything you need to know about the NYC development

currently under construction, hudson yards is the largest private real estate development in the history of the united states, and the largest development in new york city since rockefeller center. the masterplan aims to expand the midtown manhattan business district westward towards the hudson river with residential space, office towers, retail outlets, a collection of high-end restaurants, a new center for artistic invention, and a luxury hotel with more than 200 rooms. the second phase of the urban development, west of 11th avenue, will include additional residential buildings, further green space, and a public school.

with so much to keep track of, we take a look at the site’s ongoing progress and explore the projects by KPF, DS+R, foster + partners, and heatherwick studio that are reshaping manhattan’s west side.

15 hudson yards has been designed by diller scofidio + renfro in collaboration with rockwell group
all images courtesy of related / oxford properties

located at the northeast corner of 30th street and 11th avenue, 15 hudson yards will be the first residential building to open at hudson yards. set to open in 2018, the 960,000-square-foot building is situated next to the high line, also designed by DS+R. developed in collaboration with rockwell group, the tower will stand more than 900 feet tall and offer 391 for-sale and rental residences.

15 hudson yards is the development’s first residential building

15 hudson yards offers 40,000 square feet of amenities. the 50th floor is devoted to wellness pursuits, including an aquatics and fitness center designed by the wright fit, a children’s ‘imagination center’, and a beauty bar. the 51-story building features private dining suites, wine storage and tasting rooms, a club room with billiards tables, card tables, and a golf club lounge to practice your swing. at the top of the tower is the city’s highest residential outdoor space.

the shed is major cultural institution conceived as an ‘architecture of infrastructure’
image courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro / rockwell group / see more of the project on designboom here

with the completion of its enormous steel frame, the shed — a vast and versatile cultural complex — is racing towards realization. again designed by diller scofidio + renfro in collaboration with rockwell group, the institution is currently under construction where the high line meets hudson yards, and is scheduled to open in spring 2019. intriguingly, the venue comprises a permanent base structure and a telescoping outer shell, which can be deployed over the adjoining plaza.

the shed shown under construction with the high line running beneath it
image by timothy schenck

the movable shell, which will eventually weigh more than 4,000 tons, travels on a double-wheel track based on gantry crane technology commonly found in shipping ports. using roughly the same amount of horsepower as a toyota prius, a rack-and-pinion drive moves the shell on four single-axle and two double-axle bogie wheels that each measure six feet in diameter. moving at a speed of a quarter of a mile per hour, deployment takes just five minutes.

10 hudson yards (center), designed by KPF, opened in spring 2016
image by steve freihon

10 hudson yards is located at the northwest corner of 30th street and 10th avenue. designed by KPF, the tower was completed in may 2016 and stands at a total height of 895 feet (273 meters). the high-rise shares a direct connection to the high line and bridges over the elevated park to create a dramatic 60-foot public passageway that extends through the structure. the building, which offers floor-to-ceiling windows and column-free interiors, is home to brands such as coach, l’oreal USA, and SAP.

30 hudson yards, also designed by KPF, under construction
image by geoff butler

the development’s tallest building will be 30 hudson yards, an office tower that, once complete, will reach a total height of 1,296 feet (395 meters). located at the southwest corner of 33rd street and 10th avenue, the skyscraper will be taller than the empire state building and include the highest outdoor observation deck in the city. designed by bill pedersen of kohn pedersen fox associates, the tower also features outdoor terraces, a dramatic triple-height lobby, direct access to premier restaurants and retailers and an underground connection to the nearby subway station.

10 hudson yards in the foreground, with 30 hudson yards in the background

designed by a. eugene kohn of KPF, 55 hudson yards is a 1.3-million-square-foot office building that anchors the southwestern corner of hudson park. the building will stand 780 feet-tall (238 meters) with its entrance located just across from the number 7 subway station. an outdoor terrace overlooking the park is found on the tower’s tenth floor.

55 hudson yards neighbors the site’s recently opened subway station

the façade of 55 hudson yards pays homage to a number of new york landmarks, including the revitalized high line district, the manufactured cast iron façades of the buildings in soho, and early modernism. externally, the matte metal and stepped articulation of the window frames present a strong and solid exterior appearance, while inside, floor-to-ceiling windows maximize interior light. the building is under construction and will be delivered to tenants in 2017 with full completion planned for mid-2018.

55 hudson yards under construction
image by geoff butler

soaring to a total height of 985 feet (300 meters), 50 hudson yards spans an entire city block and will contain private sky lobbies, outdoor terraces, and executive valet parking and drop off in a private porte-cochère. the scheme stacks three distinct blocks of commercial space one atop the other. outlined with white stone cladding, each block is separated by the dark banding of the floors behind fully glazed façades. sited next to 30 hudson yards, the foster + partners-designed tower will complete in 2022.

50 hudson yards has been designed by foster + partners
see more of the project on designboom here

‘50 hudson yards is a key part of a larger vision that integrates places to live and work within a dense, walkable urban neighborhood,’ said norman foster when the project was first unveiled. ‘covering a full city block, the building is highly permeable at ground level, allowing it to engage fully with its urban location. designed for a sustainable future, the building makes an important contribution to the regeneration of the far west side of manhattan.’

the vessel is an interactive structure designed by heatherwick studio
image courtesy of forbes massie / heatherwick studio

vessel is an interactive structure designed by heatherwick studio that is intended to be climbed, explored, and experienced. comprising 154 interconnecting flights of stairs, the installation will offer a variety of ways to engage with the city’s urban landscape. in total, the design — with its almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings — will offer a mile’s worth of pathway above a sprawling public garden.

the first 10 pieces that make up the structure have arrived and are being put into place
see more of the project on designboom here

vessel will form the centerpiece of a public square and gardens designed by landscape architects nelson byrd woltz — in collaboration with thomas heatherwick’s firm. informed by manhattan’s rich ecological history, the site will feature more than five acres of plazas with groves of trees, woodlands plants, perennial gardens and a 200-foot-long fountain that mirrors the flow of a river.

one hudson yards is directly adjacent to the hudson yards site

one hudson yards, which is directly adjacent to the hudson yards site, is designed by davis brody bond. with interiors by andre kikoski architect, the 33-story building features a stone and glass façade. the tower contains 178 apartments ranging from one- to three-bedrooms, with one four-bedroom residence on the penthouse level. residences include 10-foot ceilings, miele appliances, and views of the downtown skyline.

one hudson yards has been designed by davis brody bond

one hudson yards’ amenities suite is designed by andre kikoski and includes an 82-foot pool, a spa, fitness center, a bowling alley and game lounge, a half-court basketball court, a penthouse lounge, an entertaining room, a terrace and a children’s playroom. the rental property is located at 530 west 30th street, across the street from hudson yards’ first residential building, 15 hudson yards.

the development’s centrally positioned retail component borders the public square

situated between 10 and 30 hudson yards, the shops & restaurants at hudson yards will offer premier locations for fashion and dining. the 1,000,000-square-foot retail center includes more than 100 shops including new york city’s first neiman marcus. designed by elkus manfredi architects, the building will also offer convenient access to the high line and the subway station.

the building contains nearly 100 ‘luxury and specialty stores’