C. caught a case study on the 3D rendering of the Warren Street Hotel — done by the architecture visualization firm Aimir — and it’s an interesting look (to me, at least) at how the plan for the building evolved to be the crazy colors it is now. (The only color story I want to know more is how the FDR Drive got to be lavender.) Turns out this scheme is mild!

From 2019 to 2021, the 3D team worked with architects Stonehill Taylor to come up with the color palette, and while I have to say the yellow still knocks me out (not in a good way) as I walk west on Warren, I think we dodged a bullet with the other color proposals.

The building was originally rendered in Blackforest Green, an almost-black, very handsome color — a winner as far as I am concerned. But then in 2021, the plan for the steel structure changed from Blackforest Green to Shadow Blue and Silver Willow Green with Arnica Yellow on floors one and two. Yipes! Then there was a render for the whole facade to be yellow with the Shadow Blue for the mechanicals on the roof. (Yipes again.)

But they settled on the Shadow Blue for the facade, and the Arnica Yellow for the mechanicals on the roof. Phew.