All this history was sensitively considered as Aman and Denniston undertook the building’s restoration and epic conversion. Using a period approach, the building’s palatial proportions were retained via spectacular double volume public areas, but with Denniston’s trademark creation of spaces within spaces to create intimacy despite the grandeur.
Discreet gold details, paired with Aman’s signature muted tones, throughout the interiors hint at the gilded pinnacle reaching for the sky – a beacon that has stood for progress and the timeless dynamism of Manhattan for over a century.
With its iconic status and long-held associations with the uppermost echelons of New York society, the Crown Building was the natural home for America’s first urban Aman. Yet bringing the peace associated with the brand to New York’s urban whirl was the next challenge. Denniston’s layered response included complex glass soundproofing to ensure complete serenity within, transporting guests audibly, as well as physically, away from the frenetic pace of the city below.
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.
Aman New York is the culmination of a monumental transformation that has seen Manhattan’s landmark Crown Building become a new design icon in the realm of luxury hospitality.
In a further nod to the brand’s roots, each suite also features a large-scale art mural inspired by the 15th century masterpiece Pine Trees (Shōrin-zu byōbu) by Hasegawa Tōhaku. One of Japan’s most celebrated works, Pine Trees, owned by the Tokyo National Museum, was designated as a National Treasure in 1952 and is internationally acclaimed. The piece perfectly captures its eminent pre-Edo influence, and is a homage to Tōhaku, printed on delicate rice paper and spanning the walls as a captivating focal point.
Inspired by the airy architecture and seamless indoor/outdoor flow of Aman’s properties in Southeast Asia, the suites also allow for flexible layouts, with each featuring up to seven pairs of lightweight, pivoting louvre- doors that can be angled and moved to open-up or contain areas, thereby enabling guests to personalise their space.
Guests can also adjust mood via lighting: Backlit rice paper panels with a woven motif are set within the louvre doors, created by international lighting design company, The Flaming Beacon.
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 large loft-style space. Large windows offer immersive city views from every angle.
Yet this is the true essence of Aman New York: From the moment of arrival every detail of the design effortlessly contributes to Aman New York’s aura of rarefied calm.
