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The space features intimate café nooks and (1) and open seating around a coffee counter and bar (2). Photos © David Mitchell

Photo © David Mitchell

Branded Well&, like similar facilities in other Durst properties, the 11,000-square-foot space comprises a 5,000-square-foot interior and the 6,000-square-foot-terrace. Inside, sofas, intimate seating, and a pool table are found at the southern end; three conference rooms and communal dining define the north section. The center is commanded by a coffee counter and full bar, with five café booths tucked into the opposite wall. Light oak was used for walls and slatted column cladding, which not only gives the room a homey, inviting quality but bounces the abundant daylight flowing in from large windows that ring the space. The glazing also provides commanding views of Midtown, but because the interior is sunk 20 inches below the terrace, a more attractive scene is created by outdoor plantings along the glass. When seated around the perimeter, you get the feeling of occupying a conversation pit enveloped by nature. “It’s about landscape and being in it, using materials that convey biophilic intent,” says project manager Adrielle Slaugh.

That intent manifested beyond obvious touches, like the preserved moss wall at the elevator bank. It’s also represented in the interior's calming earth-tone palette, reflected in the oak cladding, light brown leather chairs and cork walls in the conference rooms, and brass handrails on the short stairs leading to the terrace. And it’s found—at least conceptually—underfoot. After considering wood and tile for the flooring, Studios selected a biopolymer terrazzo that pours like an epoxy but has fewer off-gassing concerns. The Well& at 825 Third Avenue is the largest installation of the product to date.

The 6,000 square foot terrace wraps around three sides of the tower. Photo © David Mitchell

These nods to the natural world are found on the terrace, too, where among everyday furniture from Restoration Hardware is seating and tables made to look like rough concrete. (They’re actually resin, stone aggregate, and fiberglass.) And, of course, everywhere you turn are evergreens, ferns, flowers, and other greenery. Studios worked with New York–based Blondie’s Treehouse to select flora that would thrive in the specific light conditions created on a mid-building terrace in Midtown. Visiting in early April, many of the plants had yet to bloom, but it didn’t take much to imagine how verdant—and enlivening—the space is in the summer.

“Third Avenue doesn’t have that sort of energy about it that makes you want to spend time outside,” Slaugh says. “You hope to build something that people will come to use.”

The terrace features a variety of seating, plantings, and views of the surrounding Midtown skyline. Photos © David Mitchell

Indeed, the 12th floor has been well trafficked. Durst has hosted trivia nights, tenant breakfasts, and brings in a “cocktail barista” for tastings. Well-worn board games stacked behind the bar have clearly seen some action. And then there’s the everyday use for meetings, smaller gatherings, and simple change-of-scenery workspace.

Durst’s 825 Third Avenue is currently at 50 percent occupancy, and the hope is that its Well& experience will lure companies looking for a home base—and maybe something more. “It’s creating a space beyond home and work,” says Slaugh. “People are craving opportunities to come together.”