Curved walls: Zaha Hadid turns her High Line condo hoarding into public art

The hoardings that interject New York City's blocks, covering building sites, are rarely given a thought by architects or developers. It's notable, then, that the structures in front of Zaha Hadid’s much talked about residential tower beside New York’s High Line have been transformed into a veritable art installation, unveiled last week.
Titled Allonge, the temporary structure, which provides mandatory cover for the High Line’s pedestrians, is as fluid and curvilinear as the building – 520 West 28th Street – currently in construction next to it. Made from a silver metallic fabric that stretches over an undulating metal frame, the installation is a dazzling articulation of Dame Z’s signature style, that everyone can walk through. Almost 15 ft high and 112 ft long, the tunnel is inspired by the movement that occurs on the High Line. Not coincidentally, its sculptural form also echoes the design of the tower itself.
'Our collaboration with Ms Hadid has been exceptional and we are thrilled to unveil this new installation, designed to beautify the necessary overhead protection system. This beautiful installation serves as a civic gesture to the neighbourhood, embracing the innovative and artistic spirit of West Chelsea,' says Greg Gushee, executive vice president of Related Companies, the developer behind the project.
520 West 28th Street’s 11-storey building is made up of 39 individually conceived loft-style residences and eschews the archetype of rectangular units for a more amorphous footprint. The tower’s futuristic design, which fuses together two chevron shapes, is set to be a glittering addition to the High Line vicinity. With completion set for June 2016, the building still needs a while to take shape. In the meantime, a visit to Allonge will do just fine.
Made from a silver metallic fabric that stretches over an undulating metal frame, the installation provides mandatory cover for the High Line’s pedestrians
'This beautiful installation serves as a civic gesture to the neighbourhood, embracing the innovative and artistic spirit of West Chelsea,' says Greg Gushee, executive vice president of Related Companies, the developer behind the project
520 West 28thStreet marks Zaha Hadid's first residential build in New York City. The 11-storey building is made up of 39 loft-style residences and will complete in June 2016
The tower’s futuristic design fuses together two chevron shapes and eschews the archetype of rectangular units for a more amorphous footprint
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Pei-Ru Keh is a former US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru held various titles at Wallpaper* between 2007 and 2023. She reports on design, tech, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru took a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars, actively seeking out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.
-
The bespoke Jaguar E-Type GTO melds elements from every era of the classic sports car
ECD Automotive Design’s one-off commission caters to a client who wanted to combine the greatest hits of Jaguar’s E-Type along with modern conveniences and more power
-
Casa Sanlorenzo debuts in Venice as a new hub for contemporary art
The luxury yachting leader unveils a stunning new space in a palazzo restored by Piero Lissoni – where art, innovation, and sustainability come together
-
Once vacant, London's grand department stores are getting a new lease on life
Thanks to imaginative redevelopment, these historic landmarks are being rebonr as residences, offices, gyms and restaurants. Here's what's behind the trend
-
Tour architect Paul Schweikher’s house, a Chicago midcentury masterpiece
Now hidden in the Chicago suburbs, architect Paul Schweikher's former home and studio is an understated midcentury masterpiece; we explore it, revisiting a story from the Wallpaper* archives, first published in April 2009
-
The world of Bart Prince, where architecture is born from the inside out
For the Albuquerque architect Bart Prince, function trumps form, and all building starts from the inside out; we revisit a profile from the Wallpaper* archive, first published in April 2009
-
Is embracing nature the key to a more fire-resilient Los Angeles? These landscape architects think so
For some, an executive order issued by California governor Gavin Newsom does little to address the complexities of living within an urban-wildland interface
-
Hop on this Fire Island Pines tour, marking Pride Month and the start of the summer
A Fire Island Pines tour through the work of architecture studio BOND is hosted by The American Institute of Architects New York in celebration of Pride Month; join the fun
-
A Laurel Canyon house shows off its midcentury architecture bones
We step inside a refreshed modernist Laurel Canyon house, the family home of Annie Ritz and Daniel Rabin of And And And Studio
-
A refreshed Rockefeller Wing reopens with a bang at The Met in New York
The Met's Michael C Rockefeller Wing gets a refresh by Kulapat Yantrasast's WHY Architecture, bringing light, air and impact to the galleries devoted to arts from Africa, Oceania and the Ancient Americas
-
A Fire Island house for two sisters reimagines the beach home typology
Coughlin Scheel Architects’ Fire Island house is an exploration of an extended family retreat for the 21st century
-
PlayLab opens its Los Angeles base, blending workspace, library and shop in a new interior
Creative studio PlayLab opens its Los Angeles workspace and reveals plans to also open its archive to the public for the first time, revealing a dedicated space full of pop treasures