Architecture functions as art in West Chelsea.

At the vanguard of the New York architectural renaissance is 245 Tenth Avenue, an 11-story condominium residence located at the epicenter of Manhattan's West Chelsea gallery district.

Designed by Della Valle Bernheimer, 245 Tenth is the New York-based architecture firm's first ground-up condominium residence in Manhattan.

245 Tenth combines technological innovation with a modern approach to elegance, creating architecture that functions as art in step with the vibrant West Chelsea art gallery scene.

In this third project for Philadelphia-based developer, Grasso Holdings, Della Valle Bernheimer looked to the natural and manmade context of West Chelsea as design inspiration for 245 Tenth.

The building's unique cladding of expansive glass and stainless steel panels, stamped with a faceted diamond pattern, animates the exterior as it reflects the ever-changing play of light, the seasons and the vibrant surroundings. As natural and manmade light migrates across the building's skin, passersby may observe the building as a work of art. The structure reflects the fluctuating light in a display of mutable perspective.

Della Valle Bernheimer conceived and designed the unique facade for 245 Tenth around a footprint that changes as one moves up through the floors. In response to its proximity to the High Line, the building angles outward from its base as it proceeds upwards to the seventh floor, creating distinct visual moments. Geometric window arrangements provide varying patterns of light into each residence.

At 245 Tenth, every detail contributes to the overall vision. The lobby offers pause between public and private realms, and hints at the luxurious materials in the residences. On the second floor the High Line Terrace and Lounge offers a visual connection to the High Line, where residents can observe its progress as it is developed into a world-class public park and recreation space.

The 19 private residences at 245 Tenth are expansive one and two-bedroom homes, and most feature an additional home office. Keyed entry elevators enhance exclusivity and ease of entry directly into the residences' minimal yet materially rich interior spaces. The material palette including Inca stone, Cervaiole marble, concrete, glass and stainless harmonizes with walnut, oak, teak and Ipe wood, in an elegant balance of cool modernity and warm welcome.

Della Valle Berheimer's rigorous design aesthetic, meticulous attention to detail and sophisticated customization place 245 Tenth at the forefront of urban residential design. So rigorous was Della Valle Bernheimer's dedication to its vision that it custom-designed fixtures for 245 Tenth, in partnership with Rifra, the noted Italian manufacturer.

Completion of 245 Tenth is slated for Early 2008 with residential units initially priced between $1.75 and $6.2 million.

Grasso Holdings is currenlty developing the Shops at Valley Square in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and 1601 Vine Street, a 45-story mixed-use residential, hotel and retail tower, anchored by a Whole Foods Market in Center City Philadelphia.

Della Valle Bernheimer is one of the most exciting firms working in architecture today. Recent work includes the transformation of architect Paul Rudolph's iconic former home at 23 Beekman Place in New York.