OTL’s Role:
The Modern
LOCATION
Fort Lee, New Jersey
DEVELOPER
SJP Residential Properties
ARCHITECT
Elkus Manfredi Architects
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Melillo + Bauer Associates
PROJECT OVERVIEW
- Design
- Build
- Architectural Fountain
- Natural Rockwork
The Modern is a flagship residential property in Fort Lee, New Jersey, with twin 47-story towers above a public park. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects atop the Hudson River Palisades, the project embraces the region’s basalt geology and flora. OTL designed the fountain, rockwork and waterfalls that soften the towers’ architecture with a genuine sense of nature.
PROJECT
CHALLENGE
OTL needed to recreate the site’s basalt rock closely enough to feel like part of the landscape. Construction spanned two phases three years apart, and phase two brought cold winter temperatures, high winds and limited access. Working on the ground floor while other trades worked above also introduced real safety hazards to manage.
OTL’S
SOLUTION
OTL developed its Geo-Believability® approach to duplicate the indigenous basalt across the site, softening the buildings’ hard edges. To protect technicians through winter conditions, OTL created a safety plan built to continue work safely even in high winds. OTL worked with landscape architect Melillo + Bauer Associates to balance nature and urban living on the site.
Today, OTL’s waterfall cascades down rockwork near the entrance, and its fountain brings movement and art to the lobbies. The strategic process and artistic execution have created a genuine urban oasis for residents and visitors alike.
