Bjarke Ingels' VIA 57 West: New York's First 'Courtscraper'

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has completed VIA 57 West, a 137-meter-tall hybrid building on Manhattan's 57th Street, dubbed the first 'Courtscraper'—a neologism combining skyscraper and courtyard. Commissioned by The Durst Organization, the 32-story structure contains 709 residential units and a 22,000-square-meter courtyard garden designed by Starr Whitehouse, featuring 47 plant species. The building's pyramidal form aims to merge American skyscraper density with European courtyard space. Lower floors will host cultural, commercial, and sports facilities. In early 2016, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) awarded VIA 57 West the 'Best Tall Building in the Americas' as part of its Tall Buildings Awards. Interior design blends Scandinavian furnishings (Republic of Fritz Hansen) with US finishes, described as 'Scandamerican style.' Partial occupancy began in May 2016, with full completion expected by autumn.