Largely unseen from the street, penthouses are a city's secret spaces. In loft conversions where they are set back from the property line, penthouses can give an architect the opportunity to create an original structure with a totally separate and distinct DNA from the legacy design without offending preservationists. Great views are only one measuring stick while square-footage of outdoor space is another key metric. Invariably, penthouses are realms of privacy and privilege, and after the jump we give you a look at three dramatic new perches hidden away on the island of Manhattan, including a virtual peek at the new home of actress Meryl Streep.
60 Spring Street is a recent loft conversion of the former East River Savings Bank building in SoHo. The penthouse design, above, makes it seem as if someone has hoisted a classic Neutra house from LA on to the roof of a New York building. We think the architectural firm of Tsao & McKown has done a fairly spectacular job here. The rendering below is the space inside. Note: the outdoor communal dining table on the patio above will seat 14 of your closest friends...
Below is a slightly different approach to a similar project. This penthouse at the 129 Lafayette Street condominium conversion brings the window form up from the existing building, making the new structure seem more organic to the whole.
Next up (below) is the penthouse at the River Lofts, a new condo in TriBeCa. This one, like 60 Spring, was also designed by Tsao & McKown, but here the tower is new construction. It was recently reported that actress Meryl Streep purchased this penthouse unit after putting her West Village townhouse up for sale. We have little doubt that these dramatic renderings were crucial pre-construction sales tools.
The interior image below puts you virtually there...
We think Ms. Streep's Oscar statuettes will look just great bathed in those golden Hudson River sunsets.
