This pattern of opaque, white ceramic dots dramatically reduces solar heat gain, but still allows for views from the interior.

Cook + Fox designed The Lucida while they were working on the Bank of America Tower, so they took a lot of what they learned on that project and applied it to residences. Natural daylighting played a major roll in the design of the building, because it was an important way to connect individuals with the outdoors. Each apartment enjoys two facades, allowing for more than one source of light penetration.

As the entire building is glazed, it was also important to minimize solar heat gain to avoid cooking the residents. A hybrid wall system is composed of glass panels with a custom silk-screen frit pattern. This pattern of opaque, white ceramic dots dramatically reduces solar heat gain, but still allows for views from the interior. Rainwater is collected for landscape irrigation on the private patios and decks on the upper floors. Water and energy efficiency overall factored in strongly to the design as well as more environmentally friendly and local materials. As a result, the condominium is recognized as the first LEED Certified project on the Upper East Side having garnered the minimum 33 points for new construction.

+ The Lucida

+ Cook + Fox

+ S. Russell Groves