Zac Posen's New Housing Venture 16W21

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed)
Apr 19th 2010 at 2:01PM

It's a busy spring for fashion designer Zac Posen. Following up his Fall 2010 show, which was inspired by 1940s futurism, Posen brings his styles to the masses with his first ever Target fusion line with looks spanning from New York punk to old Hollywood glamor. And now, Posen extends his brand into the New York City housing market, completing the entire interior of a new luxury boutique residence in Flatiron, 16w21, which opens next month. The green condominiums set a new standard for design, integrating a studious level of attention to every detail of the building, highlighting the way that where we live influences how we live.

A stunning new ad campaign, "The Model Apartment," tells the story of one resident bachelor, a model man inside his model apartment, photographed and filmed inside a built-to-scale replica of the building itself. Click below to see a gallery of the ads, and view the videos here. The voyeuristic assemblage, following the model man through his bedroom, living room and kitchen, dives deep into the beautiful interiors, and sets the stage for a continuous story of how gorgeous design defines our lifestyles.

Gallery: 16W21

Architect Morris Adjmi designed the physical structure and façade of the building, creating a minimalist white canvas ripe for Posen's designs. The duo worked to create a landscape that will set the scene for a new kind of Manhattan lifestyle but also reflects back onto the neighborhood's rich history. "After the success of the 1893 Worlds Fair, which due to time constraints consisted entirely of white washed neoclassical buildings, there was a construction boom in the area that is now known as New York City's Ladies Mile Historic District," Adjmi tells Luxist.

These buildings, inspired by the Worlds Fair, filled the area with light-colored buildings made from limestone and white glazed brick, in contrast to the typical brick buildings of Downtown Manhattan. The most notable example is of course the Flatiron building, revolutionary in both design and structure. "The design for 16w21 takes this idea to the extreme by building a traditionally inspired façade entirely of white glass," says Adjmi. "Our goal is to create a building that is whiter than white! In doing so, we intend to create a new modern landmark that is rooted in the history of the neighborhood."

Tags: 16w21, condo design, condo development, designer buildings, designer real estate, FlatironCrossing, manhattan real estate, new york city real estate, real estate development, zac posen