OBJECTIVES

• Renovate the building lobby of a premier Manhattan high-rise while retaining the existing sculptural water feature and brightening the dark lobby space.
• Renovate the exterior of the building’s lower floors while reorganizing the varied retail storefronts into a cohesive whole.

DESIGN

• The new ceiling is the main feature of the lobby renovation and draws inspiration from the water sculpture, whose theme of repetitive organic forms it builds on.
• The ceiling’s molded plaster forms interweave rows of LED lights providing soft illumination to the previously dark space.
• The glass curtain wall fronting the lobby was redesigned to maximize daylight into the space.
• To enhance the building’s security, a new expanded concierge desk was introduced to house cutting edge security systems and to work in conjunction with new turnstiles.
• The new storefront design retains the bronze paneling, a feature of the original building, and added 2-story tall bronze and stainless steel sculptural pilasters.