Sky House Penthouse

Real Estate on Billionaires' Row, New York

Bac pro · New York · 5 sessions

Painting by Childe Hassam: a snowy Central Park with a small hut in front of a tall New York building under construction — Childe Hassam, *The Hovel and the Skyscraper*, 1904, oil on canvas, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Introduction

In 1904 Childe Hassam painted a small hut in Central Park facing a skyscraper rising on the edge of the park. Today, on the south side of Central Park, the towers of Billionaires' Row sell apartments for tens of millions of dollars. In this sequence you visit the Sky House, a penthouse on the top floors of Central Park Tower, and you learn to describe a luxury home: materials, measurements and dreams.

Five rubrics

Thème
Real estate and luxury housing in New York: the Sky House penthouse on Billionaires' Row.

Niveau
Bac pro, A2 towards B1.

Problématique
What makes a home a luxury home, and who can live in the sky above Central Park?

Objectifs
Understand a video tour; describe a high-end kitchen; convert imperial and metric units; use the past simple, the conditional and modals; write a short description of a dream home.

Ancrage culturel
Billionaires' Row and Central Park Tower in Manhattan; Childe Hassam and the rise of the New York skyscraper.

Grid

ListenFollow a video tour of the penthouse.

ReadUnderstand an article on high-end kitchen materials.

SpeakPresent the penthouse and react to it.

WriteDescribe the penthouse you would like to buy.

Expanding your vocabularyMaterials, appliances, units of measurement.

Session 1: Discovery

Watch the video: Erik Conover visits the $150M Sky House

A. Note three things that strike you.

B. Quick quiz

Session 2: Vocabulary

Describe the kitchen with the vocabulary below.

What Materials Are Used in High-End Kitchens?

The article explains how the materials chosen in a high-end kitchen shape its look, how practical it is to use, and how long it will last.

Natural stone (marble, granite, quartzite): unique veining and elegance. Marble is refined. Granite and quartzite are stronger and more durable.
Quartz and engineered stone: consistent finishes, stain-resistant, low-maintenance, many colors.
Porcelain and ceramic (Dekton, Neolith): heat- and scratch-resistant, easy to clean, nearly seamless.
Timber and wood: oak and walnut add warmth, texture and natural grain.
Metal finishes (brass, copper, stainless steel): contrast and personality, for splashbacks, handles and feature elements.
Glass and specialist finishes: light, display, lacquered surfaces and bespoke paints.
Luxury hardware and appliances: Gaggenau, Miele and Sub-Zero improve daily use and keep the design cohesive.

Conclusion: good materials balance beauty, practicality and durability. On a pre-owned kitchen, check the surface condition, the quality of the detailing and the cohesion of the materials.

Understanding: answer the questions

Session 3: Units

Length	1 inch (in, pouce) ≈ 2,54 cm · 1 foot (ft, pied) = 12 in ≈ 30,5 cm · 1 yard (yd) = 3 ft ≈ 91,4 cm · 1 mile (mi) = 1 760 yd ≈ 1,61 km
Weight	1 ounce (oz, once) ≈ 28,35 g · 1 pound (lb, livre) = 16 oz ≈ 453,6 g · 1 stone (st) = 14 lb ≈ 6,35 kg
Volume	1 fluid ounce ≈ 28,4 ml (UK) or 29,57 ml (US) · 1 pint ≈ 0,568 l (UK) or 0,473 l (US) · 1 gallon ≈ 4,546 l (UK) or 3,785 l (US)
Temperature	°C to °F: (°C × 1,8) + 32 · °F to °C: (°F − 32) / 1,8 · 32 °F (0 °C) · 98,6 °F (37 °C) · 212 °F (100 °C)

Exercise 1: English to metric

Exercise 2: metric to English

Exercise 3: in the video

Session 4: Grammar

Complete with the right form, then check.

Session 5: Production

Write 120 to 150 words. Include one dimension, one material and one conditional or modal.

0 words

Recap

Billionaires' Row: a line of very tall, very expensive towers south of Central Park.
Kitchen materials: marble, granite, quartzite, quartz, porcelain, oak, walnut, brass, copper, stainless steel.
1 ft ≈ 30,5 cm · 1 in ≈ 2,54 cm · 1 lb ≈ 453,6 g · °F = (°C × 1,8) + 32.
Past simple: Erik presented the penthouse. Conditional: If I had the money, I would buy it. Modal: We could rearrange the bathroom.

Homework

Learn ten words from the kitchen vocabulary list.
Convert your own height into feet and inches.
Write five sentences about your dream kitchen, with one conditional.

Final Assessment

Part 1: Comprehension. Three questions on the video or the kitchen article.

Part 2: Language. Grammar and units, as in sessions 2 to 4.

Part 3: Production. Describe the penthouse you would like to buy.

Score: ____ / 20

Self-assessment. Content, vocabulary, grammar: how did it go? What did I do well?