Located on Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan, sits Aman New York – the newly opened luxury hotel that marks the Crown Building’s transformation. From the stunning double-height atrium to the exquisite design entrance, it is where the grand and calming ambience of Aman New York come from. The transformation imbues spaces with the meditative beauty of nature and unparalleled serenity. Organic materials and motifs are woven throughout the hotel, making it an urban sanctuary.
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All this history was sensitively considered as Aman and Denniston undertook the building’s restoration and epic conversion. It is a beacon that has stood for progress and the timeless dynamism of Manhattan for over a century. As seen on discreet gold details, paired with Aman’s signature muted tones, throughout the interiors hint at the gilded pinnacle reaching for the sky.
A Tribute To Crown Building’s Storied Heritage
The Crown Building was designed and built in 1921 by Warren & Wetmore, the influential architects of Grand Central Station, and the Helmsley Building. Embodying the splendor of America’s Gilded Age, its Neo-Classical exterior, French Renaissance detailing and chateau-Esque tower make it one of the finest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture in North America today. The first home of the Museum of Modern Art from 1929 to 1932, the building’s crown-like finial became its eponymous feature in 1983 when lighting designer Douglas Leigh was commissioned to gild and illuminate the ornamental spire using 30 gallons of liquid gold.
Bringing The Peace
The most recent in a long line of collaborations between the Aman brand and Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston Architects, the 83-suite hotel and its 22 branded residences bring the peace promised by Aman’s Sanskrit-derived name and the palpable tranquility of its Asian roots to one of the Western world’s most vibrant cities.
Do you know that the Crown Building is the home to America’s first urban Aman? That’s all down to its iconic status and long-held associations with the uppermost echelons of New York society. As a continuance, Denniston is transporting guests away from the frenetic pace of the city with complex glass soundproofing.
Aman’s origins in Asia and harmonious design language inspired the soothing, minimalist interiors that reflect the pared-back elegance of Japan and the handcrafted warmth of Indonesia. Nature was Denniston’s third trump card, drawing on the Crown Building’s proximity to Central Park.
If you’ve noticed, though, each suite features a large-scale art mural inspired by the 15th- century masterpiece Pine Trees (Shōrin-zu byōbu) by Hasegawa Tōhaku. Offering an entirely new concept to the city, Aman New York is also home to many ‘firsts’ including working fireplaces in every suite and residence – a stand-out design feature and a first in New York. Conceptualized with airy architecture and seamless interiors, each suite features up to seven pairs of lightweight swingable louvred doors that can be angled and moved to open or close-off areas, allowing guests to personalize their space.
These glowing partitions can open each suite’s opulent, oversized bathroom with its free-standing oval bathtub, marble rain shower, and twin vanities to the bedroom and living area, creating a spacious loft-style space. Large windows offer immersive city views from every angle.
A destination unto itself with the Crown Building, the Aman Spa New York distils the hotel’s design ethos into its purest form. Active spaces including the pool and fitness centre feature light timbers and grey tones. Treatments can be enjoyed at the very core of the building are more nurturing, with curves and warmer hues.
Luxury Dining
At the Southeast corner of the light-filled building is Aman New York’s convivial Italian restaurant – Arva. Banquettes, screens, and plants create a series of spaces around the central open kitchen. Also named “cultivated land,” Arva brings the rustic, flavour-focused traditions of Italy to Aman destinations across the globe. The Italian dining concept transforms fresh seasonal ingredients into uncomplicated, heart-warming dishes, intended to be shared amongst family and friends.
Nama, Aman’s celebration of Japanese culinary traditions, features dramatically chiselled rock squares at the entrance, a Japanese Hinoki wood counter for omakase-style fine dining, and interlocking Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired ceilings and illuminated chandeliers, as well as a feature by artist Melissa Hart. Here, enjoy a multi-course menu chosen by Chef Takuma Yonemaru, based on ingredients sourced that day.
For an elevated night, the Jazz Club reimagined by Aman brings a sense of nostalgia in a speakeasy-style. Besides entertainment and intimate atmospheres, the club offers inventive cocktails, wines and a diverse menu.
Unmistakably New York with a nature-imbued, Asian-inspired, peacefulness. Each space has been intelligently and thoughtfully curated to enhance the guest experience and provide an unwavering yet nuanced sense of place.
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