SCENE FROM THE STREET

A Stunning Front Door On Hudson Street

540 Hudson Street is a new seven-story residential building designed by Morris Adjmi Architects with BKSK Architects adapting the design for developers Aurora Capital Associates and William Gottlieb Real Estate. Titanium Construction Services is the general contractor.

Certainly, the undulating red brick façade, grid of windows with protruding metal frames, and prominent wavy brick cornice are unusual enough to garner lots of attention to the new mixed-use building, but now there is yet another aspect of note.

Historically, we can spot properties from by-gone eras that have turned a city corner with sweeping walls, bent window glass and frames, and specially molded bricks or terra cotta. But it has become increasingly rare for corner properties to employ these curved elements due to their higher cost and difficult maintenance. Even some high-end residential buildings of late with curved walls have eschewed concave glazing. It is even rarer to find entry doors specially built to conform to those curves.

For the finishing touches at the Hudson and Charles Street storefronts, the facades do wind around the corner with bow-faced brick, though the windows are inset with flat glazing. But the main corner entry is highlighted with doors and sidelights that are curved to fit the sweep as well. Like the other openings in the building, the frames are painted in a gunmetal gray. Simple vertical bars provide the push-pull hardware for the doors. The large tempered glass in the doors and sidelights create a bow window affect. I can hardly wait to test out the feel of opening the curved doors soon.

Text and photo by Brian J Pape, AIA