LOCATION – New York
ARCHITECTURE – MVRDV

With a $300 million investment into its development, the 221- room Radio Hotel and Tower has been designed as a stacked assemblage of colorful blocks, clad in eight different shades of glazed brick and described by the design team as a ‘vertical village’.

Due to the vertical village approach the building does not overwhelm the surroundings.

The staked shape has the added benefit of providing multiple outdoor terraces, with every block having its own outdoor space on the roof of the block below.

The architects celebrate the neighborhood and the Dominican culture, drawing the vibrant colors from local shopfronts to inform the building’s palette.

While the brightest colors — bright green, yellow, blue, red, and orange — are found on the highest blocks, the more muted colors — plum, teal, and grey-brown – greet visitors at street level.

Radio Hotel and Tower is intended to serve as a vital hub for those travelling for conferences hosted by the nearby university and hospital.

The hotel’s interior design reflects the brightly-colored exteriors.

The building includes ground-level retail, and over 16,000 square meters of office space and also a range of facilities for food and entertainment.

Additionally, the hotel features a 750-metre courtyard with a garden and ample outdoor seating, which is a hub of live music and entertainment.