West Water View Terrace

New York, NY

Interweaving rock work, planting, structures, and seating in three dimensional garden rooms that connect inside and outside, terrace and river
West Water View Terrace is a 2,780 SF residential rooftop terrace, situated along the north side of the Superior Ink condominium building. At the scale of the building, the terrace is designed to feel like a park, with elements installed into an already-existing landscape. The intention is for the landscape of the terrace to be perceived as a part of the urban landscape of river, park, and city; as its own landscape with local variation, and gradients.

The terrace is organized into three zones, each with distinct elements and planting. Inside-outside connections are made between the terrace an apartment by extending the apartment interior concrete wall out as the finish for the Trellis wall at the Kitchen Arbor.

The Threshold is adjacent to the existing building façade at the south side, extends paving of apartment interior into the terrace, and Lattice element allows for the spanning of fragrant honeysuckle vines above doors into the apartment. Garden Rooms, with Dining (Grove), Deck (Platform), and Kitchen (Arbor) provide programmatic spaces along the center. Meander is a flush-planted area along the north side of the terrace that allows an opportunity for wandering.
Completion Date
2018
Project Team 
Team Project Lead, Penthouse
Architect: Shelton Mindel & Associates
Structural: Rosenwasser Grossman
Lighting: Studio James Long
Contractor: PLANT
Fabrication: SITU Fabrication
Photography
Michael Moran
SITU Fabrication
Marpillero Pollak Architects
Recognition 
American Architecture Award, Chicago Athenaeum 2022