Vanbarton 31 Penn

Expertly designed by TPG Architecture, the sixth-floor lounge at 31 Penn Plaza was envisioned as an amenity space, offering all building tenants a variety of settings for informal meetings, focused work, social gatherings, and moments of relaxation. Rich materials, layered lighting, and a sophisticated palette of deep blues, warm greens, natural stone, and metal finishes create an atmosphere that feels more like a boutique hospitality lounge than a traditional office environment.

To bring the design vision to life, Cortina Leathers collaborated with the project team to develop a custom leather perfect for this space. Working from the designer's desired palette, the team originally selected the color Blue Moon from Chiaro, however the Chiaro finish was not what they were looking for. Having previously specified Café with Crypton, the team asked if we could custom create Blue Moon in the Café process finished with our exclusive Crypton® protection. We succesfully matched and crafted the custom leather creating the perfect performance leather for ten Bernhardt Prelude chairs. Manufactured in Conneaut, Ohio, the leather delivers the refined aesthetic of premium upholstery leather while providing the durability, stain resistance, and cleanability required for a high-traffic commercial environment.

Cortina's Old English Green leather was also specified for for six Bernhardt Mulholland chairs, extending the carefully curated luxury material palette into additional gathering spaces while adding warmth and depth to the overall design.

The project demonstrates how custom leather development can give designers complete creative freedom without sacrificing performance. From color formulation through final production, Cortina's ability to manufacture custom leathers in the United States allowed the design team to realize a distinctive vision with materials created specifically for this project.