NYC's Narrowest House Returns to the Market

“For under 6 million you really don’t get anything in the West Village”

It is quite interesting how the housing value changes over time. Manhattan is known for being a very expensive area in terms of land and housing, increasing its value if it comes with a green space as it seems to be pretty rear to find properties with gardens in such a densely constructed area.

Looking back to 1873, the West Village was already crowded, so any space available was precious. This happened with a spare space between the numbers 75 and 77 Bedford Street. A very narrow house was built between those two numbers and took the position 751/2 in that street.

After being home for many famous people such as John Barrymore, Cary Grant or Edna St Vincent Millay, the house has now been refurbished to the highest standards:
Flooring --rift and quarter-sawn antique oak. Kitchen - white oak cabinetry, custom millwork, Crema Ella Italian marble countertops and backsplash.

The windowed master bath, with a balcony overlooking the planted garden - claw foot tub, separate shower, mosaic tiles, Italian marble and English Lefroy Brooks fixtures.

Fireplaces - framed with natural Travertine marble. All of these modern conveniences have been seamlessly integrated, including central air, washer/dryer and new radiators throughout. The 2nd bath features Dolomite and Calacatta marble.

 


How much is it down for? The house features three bedrooms, two baths, four working fireplaces, original beams and a communal garden. A narrow staircase links the seven rooms. And after a $1 million the house is being sold for $4.3 million! Now, who will pay for this dollhouse?

From our Architectural Editor

New London Tube Map

The oldest underground train system in the world is now being represented in a more geographically accurate diagram.

Worth looking at http://www.london-tubemap.com/

Concert Hall Infanta Doña Elena

Designed by Estudio Barozzi Veiga, an Auditorium and Conference centre has now opened its doors to the public on an 8000 metre plot in Aguilas, a fast growing village in southern Spain. Taking a wave as an inspiration, the building is a rational reflection, clean and simple but at the same time strong and aggressive, between the urban artificiality and the organic naturalness of the Mediterranean Sea, with concave white walls that resemble the 'deflated cheeks of someone taking a deep breath'.

On the ground floor there is a multi-uses room with a capacity for 150 people and a restaurant. Going up to the first floor, guests are able to access a multifunctional room designed especially for congresses, events and shows, with a seat capacity of 750 people. What the visitor first experiences as it enters the main hall, is a stunning 10-meter window that overlooks the endless sea and the village's medieval castle, San Juan de las Aguilas, built on the highest point of the village. The spaces have been designed to combine practicality with beauty to create an elegant and functional environment for congresses and events.


From our Architectural Editor

My first thoughts when I got to know about this big structure being built just by the seaside were not entirely positive, as I don't agree with the construction of massive urban developments on the coast (creating awful examples such as Benidorm). But looking at the result, I can say tat they actually did a good job "camouflaging" the building with the landscape and it even gives a touch of unusual elegance to a traditionally fisher's village. I just hope its activity is not affected too much by the economical crisis Spain is going through at this moment.

 

Another British Wedding

In this Septembers fall issue of American Vogue this year you can find a beautiful collections of photographs of recently wedded couple Kate Moss and Jamie Hinse by celebrity photographer Mario Testino. Set in the beautiful Cotswold countryside is a very intimate collection of the supermodel and rock star, a very different view to Kate Moss that you may have not seen before. With array of guests  from fashion designers to singers, models, actors and all other celebrity guests this was a wedding that could almost rival the Royals wedding this year.

Below are a small selection of photographs we really liked. You can find the whole collection in this years septembers issue of American Vogue which goes on sale at the end of the month.

Hope you enjoy

From our Editor

It’s a wrap – behind the scenes of a fashion shoot

So on Friday I was on location shooting some pieces from the AW11 Boutique range for Topshop. Working on any fashion shoot is one of my most favourite things to do, I love the process the team goes through to create the final images from initial story boarding to the "it's a wrap" shout out at the end.

Having shot the last seasons collection in a field by a lake, it was time to do something very different. As we where shooting AW11 we felt a stronger architectural surrounding would work. So I began the task of seeking a location in London and finally decided on the Hayward gallery at the Southbank. This grey concrete heavy structure is a great example of sixties brutalist architecture and was the perfect setting for our shoot.

We arrived to a beautiful bright city morning, which for once wasn't wanted as we'd hoped for a gloomy grey backdrop to the shoot so the images would look a little darker. Once we organised the models and got them into their first outfits, we toasted the shoot in true Topshop style with the pop of a persecco cork and a quick swig of bubbles.

The shoot went so fast as they always do, we only had 3 hours on location so had to be very decisive and change the shot if things weren't working. We had a great team so it's was a really fun shoot. The outfits where to die for too, my favourite a long nude silk slip dress worn with an oversized thin knit jumper and ankle boots. Actually every outfit I want... so keep your eye on for the AW11 Boutique range… I already have a very long wish list!

To shoot Boutique AW11 it took...

3 cameras

1 video camera

2 models

few bottles of persecco

4 very large suitcases of outfits

12 pairs of shoes

2 photographers

3 rolls of 120 film

4 stylists

8 pain au chocolates

3 black coffees

4 moodboards

56 emails

2 mad taxi dashes

a group high five

an "it's a wrap"

and over 3000 images to edit

Check out Boutique at Topshop.com 

From our Fashion Editor

The Topshop Team