In the past decade, the freshly developed Hudson Yards district just south-west of Midtown Manhattan has emerged as an imposing swath of oversized skyscrapers dominating the iconic skyline. As these especially girthy towers twist, form into clovers, and give way to massive viewing decks with gimmicky glass floors, many new hospitality and retail spaces have also moved in to answer the demands of an ever-discerning local and visiting clientele.
Bringing down the scale and softening the austerity of this monumental setting with clever proportioning, warm detail, and inherently art deco accents nodding to New York’s deeply rooted Italian-American heritage is the new Locanda Verde restaurant – the beloved Tribeca osteria’s second location masterfully outfitted by powerhouse firm Roman and Williams.
Locanda Verde Hudson Yards: an exercise in scaling and distilled detailing
The sizable, 557 sq m venue unfolds across two waterfront levels with a banquette-style dining room, jewel-box bar, and a slightly more casual café. The multifaceted design practice drew inspiration from two sources: the embedding of restaurants within Tokyo office towers and the somewhat historically cued Milanese translation of modernism; a slightly more sophisticated approach than the rustic-leaning strategy Ken Friedman and Meyer Davis implemented at the original Tribeca locale. The iconic Necchi Campiglio Villa – an emphatically art deco-style estate in the heart of the industrial metropolis – was a significant reference point. The overall scheme blends aspects of distilled ‘old world’ elements with contemporary innovation and convenience.
The stately central dining room is toned in golden ambers and plush oranges. Velvet striped upholstery plays off large insert mirrors and oversized hand-blown chandeliers hued in silver. Two dozen paintings by largely unsung abstract expressionist Robert De Niro Sr – the Hollywood actor and Locanda Verde partner’s father – add an especially timeless touch.
According to Roman and Williams: ‘Uncluttered geometries and robust indigenous materials (locally quarried stone and hand-forged metals) reflect Locanda Verde’s Italy-focused ethos. The restaurant’s own artistic history is a crucial narrative thread throughout the interiors.’
Noted for his contribution to other Roman and Williams-outfitted haunts like La Mercerie, Le CouCou and Veronika, muralist Dean Barger was tapped to paint meandering wall tableaus depicting horses, as well as Cubist and Expressionist flourishes, like those often found in the work of noted Portuguese talent Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso.
Other modernist features include a dark green Italian Verdi Alpi marble-clad fireplace, custom Venini glass luminaires and furnishings finished by one of the last remaining US mohair manufacturers. Alabaster table lamps, designed by Roman and William’s co-founder Stephen Alesch and Robin Standefer for their Guild boutique join their ‘Rotonde’ fixtures to round out the comprehensive intervention.
With a robust menu of crudi, pasta and numerous shared dishes reimagined by chef Andrew Carmellini and a cellar comprising more than 700 wines; guests certainly feel as though they’ve been transported to another place and time.
Locanda Verde Hudson Yards is located at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001, United States; locandaverdenyc.com
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