New York, New York, USA
“New York is a city that I have deep personal connections with, dating from my time as a student at Yale University to present day where I maintain a home,” states Norman Foster.
“The design for 425 Park Avenue emerged as a response that is respectful of its historical context while reflecting the spirit of its own time. It will set new standards for workplace design and provide an enduring landmark that befits its renowned location.”
Designed by American Prize for Architecture laureate Norman Foster of Foster + Partners for L&L Holding Company, Tokyu Land Corporation, and co-managing partner BentallGreenOak, the new 47-story building at 425 Park Avenue will yield around 667,000 square feet largely dedicated to offices, as well as a ground-floor restaurant run by Chef Daniel Humm, proprietor of the Three Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park.
The final pieces of the glass curtain wall and gray paneling are being installed in Midtown East.
The property is bound by Park Avenue to the west, East 55th Street to the south, and East 56th Street to the north, and is expected to achieve LEED-Gold certification and debut as the city’s first WELL-certified building.
The new tower at 425 Park Avenue, which will stand alongside Modernist icons by Mies van der Rohe, Eero Saarinen, and Philip Johnson, is conceived as a flexible, enduring new addition to one of New York City’s most celebrated streets.
The tower’s form is a pure expression of its function.
The building is divided vertically into three distinct volumes: a seven-story base, knitted to the urban grain at street level; a recessed central section; and a slender formation of premium floors at the top.
The first setback – a characteristic feature of high-rise design in New York, from Zaning Law, 1916– corresponds with the datum of the street.
To maximize the Park Avenue frontage, the core is placed to the rear, where glazed elevator cores bring life to the eastern elevation and reveal long views towards the East River.
Clearly expressing the structure, the tapered steel, and the concrete framed tower rises to meet three shear walls – extending from the top of the tower, these three blades will provide an iconic skyline vision.
The structural expression of the building allows for truly flexible, column-free floorplates that can accommodate a wide range of tenants.
Between each of the three volumes, the office floors are intersected by dramatic double-height spaces that create an open space in the heart of Manhattan.
The second setback features an amenity floor, which will provide dining and meeting spaces as well as relaxation and mediation rooms, all with spectacular views across Midtown and Central Park.
This floor will offer a magnificent setting for gala events, acting as an urban square in a vertical city that is bounded by diagonal columns, exposing the structure to emphasize the vast scale of the enclosure.
The social focus of the tower continues at street level, where the building entrance is highlighted by a dramatic triple-height lobby flanked by award-winning chef Daniel Humm’s new flagship restaurant.
Project: 425 Park Avenue
Architects: Foster + Partners
Design Team: Nigel Dancey, James Barnes, Carolyn Gemblesm Pedro Haberbosch, and William Gordon
Architects of Record: Adamson AAI Architects, P.C.
Cient: L&L Holding Company, Tokyu Land Corporation, and co-managing partner BentallGreenOak
