New York, New York, USA

Led by Hugh Trumbull of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), the 712 Fifth Avenue lobby renovation brings new life into a mixed-use building originally completed by the firm in 1990, upholding the tradition of great lobby spaces in New York City and providing tenants and guests with an elegant, first-class experience. 

The serene, handcrafted elegance of the new office lobby encourages occupants to linger in the welcoming environment rather than simply pass through.

The 712 Fifth Avenue Lobby Renovation has recently been awarded a 2022 American Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

While the size, arrangement, and program remain unchanged, the design injects a new sophistication into the space by blending a modern aesthetic with museum-quality materials, employing innovative production techniques to transform glass and limestone.

A sculpted glass wall defines the lobby exterior and entry, welcoming tenants in from the street.

Drawing inspiration from the historic building’s landmark Henri Bendel storefront, which features sculpted 3-D Lalique glass, the custom fabricated, curved glass wall seamlessly blends tradition with innovation.

The team created a closed cavity structural steel system to accommodate the exact radius of each 14-foot-tall curved glass section and account for natural irregularities in the organic material after it was bent and cooled.

Echoing the sculptural quality of the glass, the lobby’s French limestone walls introduce benches that swoop out to offer visitors a place to rest and become part of the architecture.

The design team conducted form-finding exercises and prototyped every piece of stone for the stereotomy, 3D-printing pieces to evaluate the geometry, integrity, and joinery of each stone. The final CNC-carved and hand-finished blocks create a cohesive tone throughout the lobby, with the limestone’s grain and figure flowing seamlessly from piece to piece.

The revamped lobby at 712 Fifth Avenue glows with subtle lighting that brings focus to the curvature of the space’s glass and milled limestone, upholding the tradition of great New York City lobby experiences.

Project: 712 Fifth Avenue Lobby Renovation
Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC.
Lead Architect: Hugh Trumbull
Contractor: AECOM Tishman
Client: Paramount Group, Inc.
Photographer: Photo courtesy Michael Moran / OTTO