Image Credit : Pavel Bendov
MdeAS Architects
Project Overview
Through a new, modern design, MdeAS transformed Olympic Tower into a destination worthy of its Fifth Avenue location. Home to residences and office space, including the NBA headquarters, 645 Fifth was one of the first mixed-zoning, high-rise buildings in New York City. Since its establishment, the building has undergone several unbefitting renovations, leaving the lobby and public areas overlaid in dark granite. Inspired by the client’s goal for increased visibility and openness, our team designed a lighter, more welcoming environment by incorporating Mocha Crème limestone that emphasize simplicity while creating a powerful aesthetic statement.
Differentiating itself from other lobbies, 645 Fifth’s new design is activated through a collection of program elements - art, seating, landscape, circadian lighting and a cafe- creating a dynamic public space. Through conscious spatial planning, a revitalized street presence, distinct architectural details, and a third space initiative, 645 Fifth is no longer a through-block atrium, but a Midtown destination.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Oxford Properties Group
MdeAS Architects
Continental Marble
Turner Construction
William Vitacco Associates
Miller Blaker
Gilsanz Murray Steficek
HDLC Architectural Lighting Design
Jaros Baum & Bolles
Lafayette Glass Company
W&W Glass
Abel Bainnson Butz
Liam Gillick
Project Brief
In the context of New York City, 645 Fifth is privy to a one of kind view of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. With immediate proximity to this iconic architectural landmark, the 51st Street entrance becomes a direct connection to the urban environment further established by the enlarged floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with natural light.
The new design seeks to enhance the entry experience of tenants and visitors by creating a vibrant, more welcoming environment. The green wall tapestries, designed by Abel Bainnson Butz, integrate five types of plants and complement the key components of our design. The new circadian lighting provides adequate “sunlight” for the living plants and integrates a pop of nature to the soothing atrium. Acting as a natural air-filtration system, the green wall tapestries provide clean, interior air that improves the lives of those inhabiting the building.
Alongside the natural landscape, MdeAS incorporates commissioned multi-dimensional sculptural pieces by renowned contemporary artist Liam Gillick. His structural approach marries the subtle creativity and shape found in the architecture of 645 Fifth. “Triangulated Passage Work” exhibits his signature color and form, interspersing vibrant shades in aluminum forms; adding a dynamic work of art against the neutral stone.
Project Innovation/Need
Clad in limestone, Olympic Tower features a faceted, structural wall that adds a variety of angles and unique focal points to the lobby. The modern design is activated through the integration of art, seating and landscaping which are inserted directly into the vertical wall composition. Creating an engaging experience for users, this collection of program elements is a necessary component in creating a dynamic public space.
645 Fifth is a transitory, passageway that emphasizes comfort and flexibility, where one can socialize, work, or take the time to make a mindful transition in-between. A key component in the move toward openness was the decision to relocate the security desk away from its current obtrusive position along the West wall. The new, designated lobby capitalizes on previously underutilized area and creates a proper lobby that includes all the necessary elements required in a dynamic pubic space. In doing so, we incorporated the Third Space concept, as defined by researcher and educator Dr. Adam Fraser, which exposes the way in which daily life in today’s world required us to transition frequently from one situation to another, with little or no time in between.
Design Challenge
Consistent with our client’s design vision of a lighter, more welcoming environment, Mocha Crème limestone clads Olympic Tower’s lobby walls and replaces the dark granite. The light stone was extracted from a quarry in Lisbon, Portugal and was selected for its warmth and understated, yet consistent veining. The wall achieved its dimensional appearance through a design that is as precise as it is unique, a contemporary approach to manufacturing that tests the limits of today’s technologies. Each slab is fabricated with a 5 axis (X, Y, Z of the linear plan while simultaneously rotating on the A and B axis, sculpting the stone from all angles) CNC machine (computer numeric control). The stone was then meticulously sanded by hand to accomplish the delicate and intricate details.
Challenged with supporting 200,000 pounds of Mocha Creme limestone onto the building structure without loading on the floor, our design team created a truss system to allow for a seamless installation process. Due to the variety of shapes and program elements, the steel truss was not uniform, yet it had to carry a consistent load. Independent from the superstructure, the structural system transfers the load directly to the building, supporting the weight of the stone without adding any additional loads.
Sustainability
In creating a natural environment for the public, the Olympic Tower lobby design focuses on the efficiency of resource use. The decision to incorporate natural materials was a simple one. Stone uses a minimal amount of water and does not require chemicals for production, making for a pure and healthy interior environment - an important component of sustainable design.
A particular emphasis has been placed on making the lobby a living element by focusing on the air quality and light of the space. In collaboration with HDLC, a circadian lighting system displays the oscillation of light over a 24-hour cycle. Unlike traditional office lighting, the circadian rhythm transforms the environment with warm amber light at sunrise and transitions to cool, bright light during the day. The change in color and intensity mirrors the natural light at both entrances, creating a consistent atmosphere throughout the length of the corridor.
Furthermore, the green wall tapestries, designed by Abel Bainnson Butz, integrate five types of plants and complement the key components of our design. The new circadian lighting provides adequate “sunlight” for the living plants and integrates a pop of nature to the soothing atrium. Acting as a natural air-filtration system, the green wall tapestries provide clean, interior air that improves the lives of those inhabiting the building.
Architecture - Commercial - Constructed
This award celebrates the design process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. Consideration given for material selection, technology, light and shadow.
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