Being a sucker for the sexy sight-specific gesture (a la their famous 333 Wacker Drive in Chicago), I bookmarked the page for some investigation, but have just now gotten around to it.
As mentioned, the site is located at Greenwich and 8th Avenue (currently an open lot used for surface parking), across from the triangular Jackson Square. The neighborhood is the convergence of Greenwich Village, the Meatpacking District, and Chelsea.
Even with these credentials (three immensely popular neighborhoods and a patch of green), the immediate site is less than friendly, with lots of traffic on both Greenwich and 8th Avenues to contend with. Crossing 8th, especially, is quite an adventure.
This image below shows the appeal of the design, its walls curling around the corner to, in effect, connect the different neighborhoods, at least as a gesture. It makes for an appealing face across from Jackson Square and its scale is suited to the surrounding buildings and streets.
What also makes this project appealing to me is the presentation, the way the renderings acknowledge that there will be a variety of furnishings, curtains, and light levels taking place behind the transparent curtain wall. So many glass buildings ignore this fact, and therefore can't live up to their intentions as presented in glossy renderings. While I'm still critical of glassy buildings and prefer buildings with some weight or mass, I'm digging these curves.
As well, the undulations continue into the lobby, recalling the spaces of Richard Serra's sculptures on display this summer at MoMA.
