The Wellness Center at 53 West 53

  • Prize
    Honorable Mention in Interior Design / SPA / Fitness / Wellness
  • Company/Firm
    Ateliers Jean Nouvel
  • Lead Designer
    Jean Nouvel
  • Architect
    Jean Nouvel, Ateliers Jean Nouvel
  • Photo Credit
    Evan Joseph; Giles Ashford
  • Location
    53 West 53rd Street, New York, New York, USA
  • Client
    Pontiac Land Group; Hines
  • Project Date
    The Wellness Center at 53 West 53 was completed in August 2021.
  • Project Link

Located on the 12th floor of 53 West 53, the striking condo tower perched above MoMA and designed by a Pritzker Prize-winning architect with interior architecture by Thierry Despont, the Wellness Center is on par with the world’s finest spas and fitness facilities, set within a private environment. The over 15,000-sq.ft. full-floor club is the only interior space designed by the exterior architect.

The amenities include a full gym, separate high/low-energy fitness studios, a regulation squash court, golf simulator, men’s and women’s saunas and steam rooms and a spa treatment room. It also features a 65-foot lap pool, cold plunge and hot tub situated between poolside vertical gardens by French botanist Patrick Blanc that use over 3,500 plants for a rich multi-dimensional texture.

The Wellness Center boasts a mix of the finest finishes and materials sourced from around the world. For example, the men’s locker room uses rich matrix stone and the women’s features white crystal. Large swaths of natural materials and flooring throughout The Wellness Center enhance the sense of volume and complement the high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, providing an abundance of natural light.