Kohn Pedersen Fox's (KPF) infamous One Vanderbilt tower has finally opened. A project extensively covered on Archinect, the 77-story building now stands completed and open to the public. According to the firm's press team, the tower "transforms the civic experience of the Grand Central district, layering its architectural language and skillfully meeting market demands for cutting-edge, contemporary office space."
“The materials of the building reinforce a Manhattan DNA,” says Jeffrey Kenoff, KPF Design Principal. “The authenticity and quality of these details are not only critical to their relationship within the tower itself, but also to the neighboring buildings including Grand Central and the Chrysler Building. This includes the custom glazed terra-cotta facade and soffits and the bronze podium framing, as well as the main lobby’s bronze “art wall” installation and hammered desk marking the arrival.”
The tower's construction created a buzz for its size and its ongoing construction activity despite the COVID-19 crisis. The structure was pushed to completion along with several other NYC projects. Its blue-glass walls and terracotta facade add to the towers domineering presence, not to mention its angled crown.
“The One Vanderbilt tower recalls the golden age of New York high rise architecture,” says KPF President and Design Principal James von Klemperer. “As a rectangular plan tapered point tower, its prominent top joins the Empire State and Chrysler buildings on the skyline. At the same time, the design gives the high rise a new relevance of social and environmental purpose. The new building connects both spatially and programmatically to Grand Central Terminal. It opens up a visual corridor at the ground plane and establishes a major public plaza, while providing direct access to the station from its lobby. We’re very happy that we’ve been able to create a commercial skyscraper that supports today’s critical agendas of building sustainably and enriching the public realm. Overall, the project has already proven to be a boost for East Midtown, leading the way for a progressive rejuvenation of Manhattan’s historical CBD.”
As part of the East Midtown rezoning project, the first completed tower is said to help connect to "neighboring Grand Central, which will support a new influx of commuters from Long Island via East Side Access, and a newly pedestrianized public plaza at Vanderbilt Avenue."
More information, with full team credits, can be found on the One Vanderbilt project page on KPF's Archinect profile.
16 Comments
I appreciate that there are a few interesting details. But it’s still missing soul .... just another addition to the McUrbanist decade. I’m sure it has great views of the very soulful landscape.
It does have more character than other offices around - KPF has put in a lot of work on the facade and SL Green saw fit to pay for all the terra cotta panels. Its better than the 2000s fully-glazed Midtown towers that are a dime a dozen, despite their technical accomplishments. Give it time - maybe 50 years from now it'll age well and become an elderly statesman rather than something that looks its age.
Perhaps it will grow into the space. Think the base is the most confusing and troubling part (not pictured here). They try too hard to make it an "open, interesting" space that ends up looking hollow. It's the same formula as a lot of other new urbanism--but "openness" is not the same as great or interesting.
Yes, the design of the lower floors is really weak. The big diagonal slash on 42nd street is weird and jarring.
Blade Runner called.
it's kind of bleh in real life, barely noticed it.
Not sure which is worse, this eyesore or the so-called Freedom Tower...
This.
from photos i kind of love it. bulky and confident like so many of the city's classic towers. nicely detailed and rational. a sensible tower with a bit of decorative crown, totally content with being another nice tower in a city full of them.
NOT to be confused with KFC's Van Wonderbuilt--Koreatown's tallest fried chicken joint from the '80s.
/\ Eric Owen Moss or Morphosis? or back off Gehry?
Good eye! Jeff Daniels, from FOG's office.
tell me more. Former FOG makes fast food FOG?
When are vertical stripes going to come back in style???
Agreed. Very slimming.
@Thayer-D I think they have
also a kpf design
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