On a glittering New York skyline that’s already famous for its visual spectacle, 130 William stands apart.
The 66-storey Manhattan high-rise has been described as a vertical microcity, with 242 apartments, retail outlets, a health club, movie theatre and public plaza.
While other buildings of this scale use acres of glass, architect Sir David Adjaye of Adjaye Associates has opted instead to “celebrate New York’s heritage of masonry architecture”.
His contemporary take on the city’s noirish vibe features a custom hand-cast concrete facade, bronze detailing and an eye-catching cadence of large-scale arched windows.
The use of colour plays a key role here, both in terms of defining the building’s identity and how it reinterprets the city’s historic masonry.
The deep, black Bayferrox® pigments were mixed through the roughly textured concrete to achieve David’s vision for a dark façade (it has the appearance of black volcanic ash). This hue also helps to give the building a distinctive lived-in feeling that’s a world away from the nearby sleek, glass towers.
Pigment carries international Environmental Product Declaration.
Bayferrox® is part of Lanxess, a German-based specialty chemicals company that is committed to building a more sustainable world.
Brennan Fell, Managing Director of PeterFell Coloured Concrete (New Zealand’s exclusive supplier of Bayferrox® oxide) explains that Lanxess has set 2040 as the deadline for being carbon neutral.
Its Black Oxide is backed by an internationally-recognised and independently verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).
“With an increased shift towards more environmentally-friendly building practices, an EPD provides the industry with the transparent data they need for a sustainable build,” says Brennan.
The specialists at PeterFell help clients across the country to push boundaries with coloured concrete in commercial and residential builds.
We have an extensive range of colour options available, plus you can order free samples to help you make your final decision.
Credits
Architecture: Adjaye Associates
Photography: Ivane Katamashvili
