This prominent 46-story skyscraper fronts both Seventh Avenue and 57th Street in midtown Manhattan. The building is the headquarters for a well-known New York developer as well as several large real-estate, legal, and media firms. The client sought a distinctive architecture that would unite the two public entrances and intensify their presence along these two busy thoroughfares.
Our redesign of the public lobbies uses ceramic finishes, wood ceilings, stone floors, and curved-glass column covers to create a dynamic contemporary setting. Glazing and glass entrance doors allow daylight to illuminate the through-block lobby’s entire length. Elevator vestibules and cabs were given new finishes in keeping with the rest of the lobby design, extending the sophisticated character of the building’s entrance up to each floor.
New security and building management systems were centralized at a concierge station of stone and wood veneer. Computerized building directories were incorporated into the station, while new graphics and signage orient visitors to the building’s dual entrances.
The courtyard was redesigned to encourage active use while selectively screening out adjacent properties. Light poles, stone seating, seasonal planting, and an art wall of translucent glazed panels focus attention on the building’s entrance, creating an oasis of open space just off 57th Street.
