New York, New York, USA
The 525,000-square-foot 160 Water Street project, known as Pearl House, represents a transformative approach to urban architecture, addressing critical challenges facing New York City.
This project exemplifies innovative adaptive reuse, converting a 1970s-era office tower into a premier residential community with 588 units.
Situated in the Financial District, Pearl House enhances the neighborhood’s vitality by introducing a diverse range of residential options and extensive amenities while retaining the building’s original structure.
The office-to-residential conversion, Pearl House required a highly tactical approach bringing together design, engineering, and financing for the property.
Pearl House Conversion by Gensler, won an American Architecture Award 2025 from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
As an existing building, the 160 Water Street tower exhibited many of the typical attributes of office buildings of that era, such as deep floor plates, a high concentration of elevators, poor-performing mechanical systems, and an uninsulated envelope.
For the project, Gensler worked closely with Vanbarton Group and the project contractor to ensure that design decisions delivered quality residential spaces while also maneuvering the zoning and regulatory constraints of the site for a successful transition to a multifamily residential building.
Transforming an office building with deep floor plates into a residential space presented substantial challenges.
To optimize layouts, the project introduced three vertical “blind shafts” to remove unusable interior areas, redistributing floor space to create valuable penthouse units and functional amenity spaces.
These shafts also enhanced natural light penetration and ventilation, making units more livable and attractive.
In terms of the apartments themselves, making office-to-residential conversions successful requires embracing a wider diversity of unit layouts suited to the existing architecture.
Gensler embraced the inherent planning quirks of an existing office building by creating spaces not typically offered in new construction.
These unique units – with home offices and extra storage – differentiate the property in the market of typical “cookie cutter” ground-up construction and make it attractive to potential tenants.
The design includes 45% of units equipped with dedicated home offices, catering to the growing demand for flexible work-from-home solutions.
The building distinguishes itself through its extensive hospitality-inspired amenities, offering over 30,000 square feet of shared spaces designed to foster community and elevate the residential experience.
These include coworking spaces, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a spa, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the city. By prioritizing tenant comfort and engagement, it sets a new standard for multifamily developments in dense urban environments.
Pearl House underscores sustainability through adaptive reuse, saving an estimated 20,000 metric tons of embodied carbon compared to ground-up construction.
The building’s envelope was upgraded with double-paned insulated glass and high-performance spandrel panels, significantly improving energy efficiency— the envelope now exceeds local 2030 energy performance requirements.
Individual water-sourced heat pumps were installed, offering residents control over their heating and cooling while reducing operational emissions.
By retaining the building’s structure, Pearl House avoided the environmental costs of demolition and new construction. The addition of five new floors atop the existing tower maximized usable space while maintaining structural integrity.
The use of V-shaped steel trusses for lateral support demonstrates engineering ingenuity, seamlessly integrating these elements into the building’s design to preserve aesthetic appeal.
By revitalizing an aging office tower, Pearl House contributes to the New York Financial District’s transformation into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood.
The project’s design and amenities attract diverse residents, fostering a sense of community and supporting local businesses. Completed at the end of 2024, Pearl House stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in architecture.
Project: Pearl House Conversion
Architects: Gensler
Lead Architect: Peter Wang and Robert Fuller
Original Architects: William Lescaze & Associates and Hausman & Rosenberg (1970)
General Contractor: Gensler
Developer: Vanbarton Group
Photographers: Williams New York
