Interview with Todd Schliemann, Architect of The Standard Hotel NYC, About The Hotel Rooftop

Image via Complex Original

The Standard Hotel is one of the top go-to spots in New York, and the 360-degree views from the roof are arguably unmatched. Architect Todd Schliemann is the man responsible for one of the coolest additions to the Meatpacking District, an accomplishment he added to an already impressive resume that includes cultural and educational institutions. The Standard rooftop offers views of the Empire State Building, midtown Manhattan, the Hudson River, downtown, and the Statue of Liberty. We recently got a chance to catch up with Schliemann, and he talked us through this dyanmic space. Click on to read our interview with the architect.

“There are a ton of hotel rooftops with a view in New York, but this view is unmatched. Look around. It’s the only roof with a total 360-degree view of the city. You can see every aspect of the New York City skyline from this one place.”

image: ©Jeff Goldberg/Esto for Ennead Architects

“On one side of the roof, if you look out at where the Standard sits and where you are in the context of it all, it feels like you’re sitting on the deck of a huge high rise ocean liner.”

“I wanted to make this roof very private. Even though there’s this large space where you can take in the view with your friends, there are these secret alcoves that are very glassed off and secluded, and when people rent these out for birthdays or private events, it’s like you’re in the sky. No one can touch you or get to you.”

“When we planned this hotel, we didn’t want it to interrupt the flow of the community and the surrounding area. So instead of plopping this big structure in the middle of the neighborhood, we designed around the High Line and propped the hotel up on these legs, so that life as it was could continue happening around the hotel. The hotel kind of floats above the highline, and has become a part of the downtown’s skyline.”

image: ©Jeff Goldberg/Esto for Ennead Architects

“André and I are old college buddies. I usually don’t work on hotels, but when he called me up and asked me to collaborate on this project, I agreed. We work really well together, and it was a lot of fun. It’s not the type of project I would normally take on, but he and I have a great collaborative relationship.”

image: ©Ben Baker