MIDTOWN

TOWER

The programming/massing of a developer tower on a 17,000 sf midtown lot overlaps three zoning lots. The 450,000 sf buildable area, more than twice the allowable area as of right, is achieved via the transfer of air rights from several properties on the same city block. The main program components are museum expansion space, office or hotel at mid-rise floors, and residential on high rise floors. The ‘kebab’ scheme breaks down the tower mass by separating programmatic volumes with outdoor private and semi-private spaces, all skewered by the building’s core. A structural skin allows for column-free floor plates. The ‘fold’ scheme twists and folds in an opportunistic manner to simultaneously maximize perimeter views, increase floor areas at upper levels, and take advantage of air rights over an existing low building. A customized wood and glass curtain wall permits control of views and heat gain.