Design Reserach Project
Page 5
Public Contribution in High-Rise Building Design
@ New York City
IBM Building
IBM Building Analysis
Much under-appreciated when it opened, this sharply chiseled, dark green giant may not be a masterpiece of modernity, but it is very impressive and definitely one of the city's finest oases. Take a square column, slice off a large wedge facing southwest, cut away a chunk from the base facing northeast and add a saw-tooth skylight atrium on its southwest side and you have the basic form. The photograph above, taken from the 56th Street entrance of Sony Plaza, shows the roof of the atrium, the former IBM Building on the right, and the rear of Trump Tower on the left. What you also have is a whole much greater than its parts because this tower cannot be fully considered without its relationship with two other major skyscrapers, the Trump Tower to the immediate west and the Sony (formerly AT&T) Building to the immediate south. These three towers, shown at the left in a view from Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street (Picture), form a high-rise enclave that by themselves would "make" any other city and which in their aggregate dramatically changed the focus of the midtown office market. One could well argue that the building's bamboo court atrium is the epicenter of the city's most desirable office market. While the Plaza district has been the city's most elegant for most of the century for its hotels and shops, this trio solidified it as the most desirable corporate address.
Picture: Public space with the eastern bamboo tree.
Incredibly, both IBM and AT&T has sold both of their buildings to others in the economic recession. Sony bought AT&T's and modified the space from outdoors to become indoors. For IBM, Mr. Minskoff, the new owner who is the contemporary arts collector has modified some of the IBM Public Plaza into his own goods, the place for exhibit his collections. He moved down a large portion of the bamboo court that IBM had created. However, a lot of arts exhibitions and installations by him has been considered poor by the critics in terms of quality.
The atrium's potted plantings in the former IBM building used to be changed regularly and a handsome, circular, stainless-steel food and beverage stand made a stay in this vast skylight jungle extremely pleasurable. The New York Botanical Gardens also had a store fronting on the atrium, which was appropriate because of the atrium's lavish plantings.
The double-height office building's lobby itself is minimal in size, relative to the tower, but is oriented so that clear views into the atrium can be seen from its entrance. It is great to have the high polish of its granite walls, the reflected views of the atrium between the elevator banks appear larger than the actual window openings, a rather brilliant design.
Picture: Public Plaza - beyond the glass enclosure is the entrance to sony public arcade.
Opinion
According to the feature of this public space, there are assets and constraints;
Assets
1. Outdoor atmosphere in the indoor space - It was the space that was designed to have a shade of trees, the feeling of out door space, but was enclosed by the glass roof and wall as the same as Sony Building. This building did it before. Green scape of Bamboo is a pleasure for the people who visit the plaza.
2. Connection to the Nike Town and 5th Avenue - This plaza is the connection to the mall (Nike Town) walking out to Fifth Ave. There are some other minor entrances too. Therefore, this plaza also served people as the urban circulations that can cover people from rain and snow.
3. Storefront and Cafe - the common street activity that is always provided in many postmodern building. It always keeps the building alive in terms of interaction with the street level.
Picture: Looking from outside into the IBM public space
Constraints
1. Hard to realize that it is public space - It is the same problem as Sony's but still easier to figure it out than Sony because the public furniture such as chairs, tables, benches are seen easily by the large clear glass panel than the half-stone half glass of Sony Plaza
2. Opening hours - This plaza is open from 7.00am to 11.00 pm, the same as Sony. Therefore, it is the public space under the private control, the same as Sony.
3. Scale in Landscape Design - The landscape design is so minimal, there is no other things except trees and furniture on the flat large-stoned finishing floor. The design of Landscape (such as the size of trees) has no relation with human scale. Large trees with chairs and tables seem so easy to be put on. However, it is also flexible for any activities but there are only very few activities happen here.
This Innovative urban space was designed earlier than AT&T (later become Sony). It was probably the only public space at that time that tried to break away from the image of public space which always had to touch outdoor air. It is very important to make the people feel comfortable with the space. Comfort temperature zone is one of the elements that this plaza succeeded. The nice smell of the east (bamboo) also makes this plaza charming and attractive for the people to visit and do some activities. Later Sony also tried to adopt this idea and enclosed its plaza with Glass element too.
Picture: Connection from IBM Plaza to NIKE town and Fifth Ave.
Picture: Modern Sculpture infront of the building.
Picture: Signage for Public Information