The triangular site on the south side of East Houston between Broadway and Crosby Street was left over when in 1930 Houston Street was widened to build a subway line. Houston Street used to be a narrow street just like Spring and Prince, but since the “urban tear” feels more like an east-west highway cutting through the fabric of the city, our response was to heal the fabric while recalling the “slicing” that took place at this important gateway to Soho. The Crosby brick façade quietly responds to the context, while on Houston street the glass and metal curtain wall façade is articulated to show a section through the building, as well as representing a contemporary version of the cast iron buildings in the context.
The building's design will enhance the community and character of the neighborhood, while also serving as an iconic symbol of Soho; providing a gateway to Soho’s established and emerging local and global companies, and offering a suitable home for a new prominent anchor to the East Houston Street corridor.