Chelsea Modern is defined by a bold, shimmering and technically innovative twelve-story facade of blue-tinted and clear glass that shifts in and out across its surface in five horizontal bands, a design achievement that garnered a 2005 Excellence in Architecture award from the American Institute of Architects. In 2006 Chelsea Modern was also honored by Society of American Registered Architects.

The juxtaposition of its powerful forms and delicate materiality is at once ethereal and dynamic - a complex interplay of changing light densities and shadows reflecting the flow and energy of the city.

This remarkable composition is augmented by a series of operable clear-glass windows that project out, providing a syncopated thythm on the exterior while allowing for the enhanced circulation of fresh air through the residences.

Seen from the street, it is an iconic vision. From within, the facade's shifting planes collapse the boundary between inside and out as they simultaneously frame views across the West Chelsea cityscape.