William Sofield on Creating the Priciest Condo on New York’s Upper East Side
- 1122 Madison Avenue is set to become the Upper East Side's most expensive condominium, with residences starting at $10 million.
With the debut of 1122 Madison Avenue , legendary architect William Sofield isn’t just unveiling Manhattan’s most exclusive new development; he’s etching a new chapter into the story of uptown luxury.
Poised to become the Upper East Side’s most expensive condominium by starting price, the 22-story limestone-wrapped tower will introduce 26 expansive residences to the corner of Madison Avenue and East 84th Street, just steps from Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Developed by Legion Investment Group in partnership with Nahla Capital, the project isn’t expected to be completed until mid-2027 but is already capturing attention.
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“Urbanistically, it’s an extraordinary location,” Sofield, founder of the eponymous Studio Sofield, tells Robb Report . “Like some of the great apartment buildings on the Upper West Side—we just finished 111 West 57th —this is going to have an incredible presence on the Manhattan skyline as people come across town through Central Park past the Met. That visibility brings a tremendous social responsibility to create a building that’s somewhat timeless. I hate to use the word ‘iconic,’ but the building needed to have real presence and staying power. So, there was a great weight on my shoulders.”
That sense of responsibility spurred Sofield to make a rare commitment to showcasing quality materials and artisan craftsmanship in the building. Rather than limiting stonework to the front elevation, the architect insisted on cladding all four sides in hand-laid limestone blocks.
“We’ve done a lot of work in fashion over the years, and I always think of something Maurizio Gucci said: ‘Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.’ That really stayed with me,” Sofield says. “In New York, you often get what I call the ‘hot knife through butter’ situation, where you have a beautiful facade and a great cornice, but then it’s as if it got sliced off at the side and the rest is brick. There’s no resemblance to the facade. I really felt that this was important since the building is seen from the south. There was a responsibility to quality in that way.”
Residences at 1122 Madison will start at $10 million, launching into a market that’s seeing a notable uptick. In mid-May, the Upper East Side led all of Manhattan in luxury contract activity, with nearly half of homes over $4 million going into contract located in the neighborhood. Long associated with old-money co-ops, the area is evolving—bolstered by the arrival of stylish new developments like the Surrey and the reopening of the Frick Collection following a five-year renovation.
Sofield’s work has been a major contributor to this transformation. From 135 East 79th Street to the acclaimed Beckford House & Tower , his buildings have helped reframe the Upper East Side for a new generation of buyers. “There’s a real shift in how people want to live,” he says. “Younger families are moving uptown for space, schools, and proximity to the park.”
Though he resists overarching trend narratives—“I’m more of a micro person,” he says—Sofield acknowledges that the neighborhood’s renaissance is deeply tied to lifestyle. Unlike many architects who begin with the building’s exterior, Sofield works from the inside out, designing apartments first and letting the structure follow, ensuring flow, light, and functionality take precedence.
That shift in priorities is echoed in what today’s buyers expect behind the front door. Kitchens are no longer afterthoughts; they’re put to use. Staff quarters are more integrated and considered. Historic charm is balanced with mod cons, such as central air, open layouts, and high ceilings. This new wave of buyers doesn’t want the burden of gut renovations, but rather stress-free turn-key properties with architectural legacy.
“The classic buildings are beautiful, no question,” Sofield says, “but they weren’t designed for the way people live now. And not everyone wants to take on a multi-year renovation just to make an apartment functional.”
That sensibility runs throughout Sofield’s practice: modern in spirit but anchored in classical rigor. “I tend to be a historicist,” he says. “[For 1122 Madison] I was particularly inspired by the Met—it’s restrained, austere in a beautiful way. That kind of dignity informed the proportions and shadow play in this building.” Design elements such as the deeply recessed windows, French doors, and rope-trimmed moldings nod to European traditions, while modern technologies support a contemporary lifestyle.
In addition to his expansive residential portfolio, Sofield has shaped global design for decades through collaborations with fashion houses, like Tom Ford, Gucci, and Ralph Lauren. His interiors have become synonymous with elevated restraint and textural detail. His studio continues to tackle projects of all scales, including a steampunk-inspired townhouse, a sustainable artist colony in Mexico, and even a custom yacht. A magnus opus of the firm, Studio Sofield Works will be published by Rizzoli this October.
Still, no matter how global his projects get, Sofield remains deeply rooted in the daily inspiration of New York City itself. From the streets of Venice and Paris to the alleyways of Morocco and the coast of Maine, his travels feed his practice—but it’s walking his dogs through Little Italy, Chinatown, and the West Village that sharpens his eye.
“I just notice things,” he says. “I love details. That’s the point of being here, living in New York City, right, to absorb the energy of it?”
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