Lantern House by Heatherwick Studio: Reimagining the Bay Window for a New York Icon
In a city synonymous with steel and glass, Lantern House by Heatherwick Studio emerges as a refreshing tribute to both permanence and personality. Completed in collaboration with Related Companies, the residential development is located in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, beside the High Line at West 18th Street—a site that posed both opportunities and challenges for the studio’s first residential project in New York.
From the outset, Heatherwick Studio sought to break away from the visual language of the ubiquitous glass towers lining the High Line. Instead, the design draws on the tactile warmth and enduring character of the area’s historic architecture, bringing to life a new typology that feels at once contemporary and rooted in the past.
At the heart of the project lies a deceptively simple idea: the bay window. Inspired by the late Victorian and Edwardian buildings that dot the surrounding neighborhoods, the studio adapted this time-honored element into a bold architectural statement. The result is a series of double-height, three-dimensional bay windows that appear to gently billow outward from the building’s robust brick façade. Freed from the constraints of corner columns, these faceted forms not only allow for expansive light-filled interiors, but also create a sense of intimacy and domesticity—an uncommon quality in high-rise urban living.
Lantern House isn’t just about form—it’s deeply invested in material expression. The façade is a rich composition of plain glass panes, vertical metal mullions, and hand-crafted bricks, carefully chosen to echo the industrial heritage of Chelsea’s warehouses and factories. A custom brick blend gives the building a distinctive patina, with thoughtful detailing such as bullnose edges and real brick soffits lending a sense of craftsmanship and weight. This layered approach brings tactility and depth to the building, asserting a quiet, assured presence within its rapidly changing urban context.
The project’s two towers are separated by the raised railway of the High Line itself, a condition that Heatherwick Studio turned into an opportunity for architectural theatre. A shared lobby connects the east and west buildings, with a dramatic volume that appears suspended beneath the trestle’s steel columns. The lobby is bathed in light from the lantern-like bay windows above, creating an elegant threshold that is both grand and grounded.
At the street level, Lantern House continues to challenge convention. Rather than defaulting to oversized glass storefronts, the design opts for a more human-scaled approach. Bay windows once again play a central role, wrapping the corner site to create inviting, dividable retail units that resonate with the rhythm of the surrounding streetscape.
Lantern House is a study in architectural storytelling—a project that reinterprets traditional forms with fresh eyes, creating a new landmark that is as much about memory as it is about modernity. In doing so, Heatherwick Studio has offered a new perspective on luxury living in New York: one that embraces solidity, detail, and a touch of whimsy.
