Lose your self in 550 Madison and Snøhetta’s public backyard

The skyscraper at 550 Madison Avenue, Philip Johnson and John Burgee’s splendidly bizarre postmodern gem relationship to 1984 and as soon as referred to as the Sony Tower, can now be skilled by all New Yorkers, because of the creation of a brand new public backyard, designed by Snøhetta. The landmarked constructing has been renovated and remodeled into an epic workplace tower by funding agency Olayan Group, that includes a redesigned foyer, overseen by Snøhetta and Gensler, and an unbelievable amenity flooring designed by Rockwell Group. The architectural backyard itself, which occupies a beforehand enclosed mid-block passageway, provides half an acre’s price of latest inexperienced house that is been propagated with native bushes, bulbs, crops and shrubs to offer a respite for tenants and the encircling group alike.

The 550 Madison backyard

Lined by a dramatic glass cover that additionally captures rainwater to irrigate the backyard naturally, the brand new public park additionally boasts a water characteristic, heated benches and loads of seating for passers-by to take a breather. It’s superbly framed by a hovering new 65ft arched window within the constructing’s foyer, the place a dramatic mixture of terrazzo flooring and marble panels is made all of the extra superior by the truth that they encompass a monumental, site-specific art work by Alicja Kwade (whose Au cours des mondes, 2022, took over Place Vendôme in Paris this autumn throughout  Paris+ par Artwork Basel). Kwade’s work, titled Strong Sky, is a 24-ton sphere of blue Azul do Macaubas quartzite, suspended by stainless-steel chains from the vaulted, triple-height ceiling. It’s an excellent reference to the constructing’s iconic Chippendale curved roof pediment – a round cut-out that frames the sky, which inadvertently impressed Kwade’s alternative to make use of a blue stone for the piece. 

The 550 Madison facilities

The homage to the constructing’s former life continues on the newly constructed amenity ranges, the place nearly 30,000 sq ft of actual property has been devoted to redefining what being at work can and may imply. Rockwell Group has designed the constructing’s membership degree, only one degree above the constructing foyer, with a number of social gathering areas. 

Within the Grand Corridor – which is flanked by Philip Johnson’s authentic rose-window oculus and a pair of Dorothea Rockburne murals – an outsized, constellation-like chandelier, a communal interlocking desk and custom-designed sofas, facet tables and lounge chairs create an area that simply transitions from day to nighttime. Within the café, scalloped mesh partitions and a European walnut cover create heat and intimacy good for eating. 

There’s a giant number of extra personal assembly areas, from 4 smaller assembly rooms, together with one with a pool desk, to a library, a fireplace room, and a screening room, which will be cordoned off in keeping with the dimensions of the group. Outfitted with state-of-the-art services and digital canvases, which undertaking specifically commissioned art work from Lab at Rockwell Group, these are a far cry out of your typical convention rooms. 

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