July 31, 2025
Why They Matter for Buyers and Sellers
Some buildings change the way you see a street. Their lines catch the light differently, their materials feel deliberate, and their presence lingers long after you’ve walked by. These are the works of starchitects, world-renowned architects whose designs go beyond function to leave a cultural imprint on the city itself.
In Manhattan, a starchitect’s name carries weight. It signals that a building has been shaped with a vision that will endure, using details and craftsmanship that rarely appear in ordinary developments. Apartments in these projects tend to hold their appeal for decades. They’re not just homes, they’re part of a narrative that quietly supports their value and makes them instantly recognizable to anyone paying attention to design.
This is why people talk about where they live in terms of the architect as much as the address. And it’s why owning a starchitect-designed apartment is about more than square footage.
Here are ten starchitect-designed buildings that have helped shape Manhattan, each one adding its own chapter to the city’s story.
56 Leonard Street
Tribeca
Herzog & de Meuron
The “Jenga Tower” is one of the most recognizable buildings in Manhattan. Its stacked glass boxes look like they were placed by hand, each creating terraces and open views.
565 Broome Street
Hudson Square
Renzo Piano
The architect behind The Whitney Museum, created something quieter but equally striking here. The luminous glass tower feels like a museum for living; airy, precise, and timeless.
40 Mercer
Soho
Jean Nouvel
Tucked into Soho, 40 Mercer has sliding glass walls that make apartments feel part indoors, part outdoors, a rare luxury in New York. A classic building.
165 Charles Street
West Village
Richard Meier
Richard Meier’s glass tower brings his signature minimalist style to the West Village waterfront. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Hudson, and the design’s crisp lines give every apartment a sense of gallery-like calm.
152 Elizabeth Street
NoLiTa
Tadao Ando
The Japanese master of minimalism brought his poured concrete precision to this rare NYC residential project. Inside, spaces feel serene and considered, almost meditative. It feels like a retreat from the city outside.
8 Spruce Street
Financial District
Frank Gehry
Gehry’s rippling facade remains one of the most photographed in Lower Manhattan. Inside, the apartments are livable and warm, proof that design and comfort can coexist.
130 William
Financial District
David Adjaye
Textured concrete and arched windows make 130 William feel almost hand-carved. It’s rare to find a skyscraper that feels this personal, and that is exactly why Adjaye’s work is so sought after.
VIA 57 West
Midtown West
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
The tetrahedron that reshaped the skyline. Its sloping form opens to the Hudson, filling apartments with light and river views that feel unexpected in this part of Manhattan.
520 West 28th Street
West Chelsea
Zaha Hadid
Curving and futuristic, this is one of Zaha Hadid’s last works before her passing. The building wraps around the High Line, and even the hallways feel sculptural. Owners inhabit a piece of architectural legacy.
These buildings are not just addresses. They are signatures.
If you’re curious about apartments in these buildings, Count On Us.
