NYRA Above the Town

OMA’s first New York towers opened for business a week ago Wednesday. Dancing 40 stories above medium-density Little Poland, Eagle + West (Greenpoint Landing Block D) extends the high-rise rhizome from Long Island City south across Newtown Creek with 745 new residential units. In playful contrast to the static tectonics of neighbors across the creek, the towers step and lean into each other across a 60 foot void. From the terraced mass, views of the cantilevers are geometrically thrilling. Views from underneath the gridded cantilevers bottoms frame Brooklyn with Superstudio-esque flair. 8’x8’ windows relentlessly punch through variegated concrete panels up and down each façade.

A very OMA exposed-truss two-story bridge connects the two towers, above exterior cooking stalls and putting green, housing pink terrazzo-clad interior pool deck and fitness gym. Naked poolside, the ungroomed gusset plates add a vintage feel to the Manhattan skyline views. The cantilevered tower’s structural gymnastics create large open lobbies and amenity spaces, styled with window seats, flu…