“The beautiful señorita”: Architect David Childs talks inspiration at 35 Hudson Yards

It’s not all angular glass and steel rising above the old rail yards on the Far West Side.

While the office buildings and vertical mall have garnered the most attention, the condominium building at 35 Hudson Yards is the “beautiful señorita flamenco dancer in the center” of the development, twisting and turning as it rises, said David Childs, the chairman emeritus from Skidmore Owings and Merrill.

The architect, who worked with Related chairman Steve Ross on the design concept, relied on stone between the panes of glass to give the condo tower a residential feel.

“The way you get to a building is part of the experience of architecture,” he said. “Architecture is not just a picture of something like you see in a museum… I will always look at this building and think of it much like a piece of music, to which architecture has often been compared.”

The building, with 143 apartments, opened on Friday with the rest of the eastern portion of Hudson Yards. The developer and its partner Oxford Properties Group is aiming for a $1.53 billion sellout. Units start at $5 million.

Check out our video tour of 35 Hudson Yards and interview with David Childs.