A year after Snøhetta’s first attempt at renovating Olayan America and Chelsfield’s office tower at 550 Madison Avenue ended in controversy and eventual landmarking, the architects are hoping their second attempt will be smoother. — The Real Deal
"The new proposal unveiled Tuesday features three stories of retail at the ground level and a new opening in the rear facade to allow sight lines from Madison Avenue into a new open-air garden that will replace the currently enclosed galleria," reports The Real Deal about Snøhetta's reworked approach after last year's initial proposal to renovate the Philip Johnson and John Burgee-designed 550 Madison Avenue tower—formerly known as the AT&T Building, a 1984 icon of Postmodernism—ignited a passionate debate among architects, preservationists, and critics. The building was ultimately granted landmark protection in July 2018.
"Snøhetta’s design for the rear of the building (west side) would provide the community with a vibrant green space that will be 50% larger than the current public space," reads a project statement on the architects' website.
"Snøhetta’s updated design will preserve and revitalize the landmark tower, undo past renovations that compromised the original design intent, and reconceive 550 Madison’s public spaces. The tower’s exterior will remain 94% unchanged. A reimagined public open space will finally deliver on the true public amenity that Philip Johnson envisioned, creating a visual and sensory retreat in the heart of East Midtown."
"The upper portions of the existing four-story annex, the altered glass roof, and side street enclosures that were added during the 1990s will be removed, creating an expansive, open and inviting public garden."
2 Comments
This is good news. Looks like the main arch will stay.
Why do developers (and some architects playing along) have to be met with resistance to do the obvious? So many other projects -- FolkArt, 270 Park, etc -- seem to be lacking the same common sense.
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