Outside the Mondrian Soho, on Crosby Street

Photo by myself at Crosby and Howard Streets, in Soho.

Just off a narrow cobblestone street in Soho is the Hotel Mondrian, a recent addition to the Morgan Group hotels.

A European-inspired living wall encloses an outdoor forecourt. Vines are trained to climb a wall of mesh and cor-ten steel, making the court semi-private.

Cor-ten is a type of steel that looks as if its rusted. A chemical reaction with air and water actually forms a protective film on the surface, making it slower to corrode than other metals.

Related posts: On Hotels and Hype, Along Fifth Avenue and Beyond, The Royalton, Renovated, and Waiting, at the Gramercy Park Hotel.