Linden 78

Client Urban Residential, Blue Ribbon Partners
Location New York City, NY
Status Completed in 2008

Linden 78's complex zoning necessitated cantilevering the building over a neighboring structure before continuing upward.

Linden 78 is located just off of Broadway on West 78th Street on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The site, bisected by a diagonal setback off of Broadway, is located in both wide and narrow street zones, providing opportunities for varying heights and terraces at various levels of the building. Linden 78 rises six stories, cantilevers over a neighboring four-story building via a steel truss, and then continues up to a total of 20 stories.

The massing of the building was influenced by the complex zoning situation and incorporation of the neighboring building. Features include a regular field of windows with the scale and proportion of French doors. At the top of the building, a portion of window-wall diminishes the scale of the building on 78th Street and creates dramatic views from the penthouse units.

The use of a warm, weathered brick and the discreet window types help create a sense of "implied history," tying Linden 78 to its context. As a counterpoint to the brick, other elements are dark, painted metal. The lobby is a decidedly modern interpretation of the entries found in older apartment buildings. Beyond the lobby, the courtyard features mostly hardscape with a water feature, raised planter, and life-size chess board. The roof terrace offers extraordinary immediate and distant views.

There are only two residences per floor, with one per floor on the top three levels. Most apartments have at least three bedrooms and are of a scale reminiscent of the pre-war apartments found in the area. Windows in the living spaces open fully to Juliette balconies with railings subtly bent in a branch motif.

Scope

Design Architect Architect of Record

Photography

Lester Ali