Rafael Viñoly Architects is designing a unique new residential and mixed-use tower that will rise to become a prominent feature of the New York City Skyline from its prominent site at the intersection of Park Avenue and East 57th Street. The building is the expression of the extraordinary qualities of the Manhattan grid. Its design exploits these parameters by creating a slender, un-encumbered volume that rises to mark the geometric center of the City’s skyline. The project consists of residences on middle and upper levels and common spaces distributed throughout the lowest levels. Two smaller volumes adjacent to the tower will house retail and commercial office spaces.
A regular grid of exposed concrete members creates an open basket within which seven “independent buildings” stack up, separated by spaces within which the building cores are exposed to the outdoor elements. These breaks allow for deflection of wind pressures and help the 426-meter-tall building, with its 1:15 slenderness ratio, achieve structural stability. The six upper volumes, starting 61 meters above grade, contain 54 residential floors housing approximately 129 units with uninterrupted panoramic views. The floor plan, with 3.8 meter ceiling heights and totally free from structural elements, also provides flexibility for custom redesigns of the units. Each floor measures approximately 812 square meters and can accommodate from one to four residential units.
The lowest of the volumes is totally devoted to the amenities provided exclusively for the residents: staff accommodations; conference facilities such as meeting rooms and a screening room; a fully-equipped private restaurant opening to a garden terrace overlooking 57th Street; health and spa facilities including a fitness center and swimming pool; independent storage spaces; wine cellars, and a sub-grade parking garage.
At the base, the building meets the ground creating a landscaped public space that extends the feeling of openness of Park Avenue into 56th street. A semi-private porte-cochére defines the entrance to a discreet residential lobby. All services and delivery accesses are independently located to the east side of the tower. On 57th Street, a retail volume, maintains its own functional and architectural identity while simultaneously aligning with the geometric discipline of the tower above. This object extends the exclusive character of the retail experience of Madison Avenue. On Park Avenue, a freestanding fully glazed retail cube signals the access to the site.
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