OMA has completed ?121 east 22nd? ? its first ground up building in new york city. the design of the residential complex responds to its L-shaped site which straddles two separate manhattan neighborhoods: a quiet area surrounding gramercy park, an enclosed private garden; and the bustling commercial setting around madison square park, a public green space that also hosts a wide variety of activities. the scheme comprises two primary structures ? the 18-storey north tower and the 13-storey south tower ? which, between them, contain 134 units.

image by laurian ghinitoiu (also main image)
 
 
?the design appropriately responds to and harnesses the energy of the city and duality of the site?s urban context,? explains OMA partner shohei shigematsu, who led the design of the project for developers toll brothers city living. ?the dynamic intersection of gramercy park and madison square is expressed by a three-dimensional, prismatic corner that introduces a new identity to the neighborhood while the façade remains contextual to its neighbors.?
image by laurian ghinitoiu
 
 
the elevation of 121 east 22nd also references cubist artwork, in which objects are viewed from a multitude of viewpoints rather than a single one to represent the subject in a greater context. as such, the north tower conveys the meeting of the two neighborhoods, realized through two interlocking planes that come together at 23rd street and lexington avenue to form a distinct, three-dimensional corner.
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