The slender frame of a 61-storey tower has risen from 100 East 53rd Street in New York City. The latest Manhattan development from the renowned architecture firm Foster + Partners, who has partnered with developers RFR Realty, Hines, and Vanke, is a residential tower that has topped out at 217 metres (711 feet).
Replacing an old YWCA building that once stood on the site, the tower's design echoes the clean lines of nearby minimalist icons like Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's Lever House and Mies van der Rohe’s Seagram Building. A nine-storey base is adjoined to the main tower by a sleek glazed atrium. It will be occupied by a bar, restaurant, spa, and swimming pool. Other amenities in the complex include a gym, yoga room, library, and several lounges.
The building's narrow floor plates are clad in a smooth and modern envelope of aluminum and low-iron glass. Its pale glazing stands in sharp contrast to the darker coloured hues of the Seagram Building, creating a block of towers with opposing palettes.
Loft apartments in the nine-storey base of the 94-unit tower feature diamond-polished high-grade concrete flooring and exposed columns, evoking the raw materiality of New York skyscrapers. Interior work will progress once the building is fully sealed from the elements, which should be soon, as photos from the Forum show cladding shielding the majority of the thin tower. Residents are expected to receive their keys in 2017.
Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.
Related Companies: | Hines |