Design Reserach Project
Page 5
Public Contribution in High-Rise Building Design
@ New York City
Sony Building
Picture: Building Facade, the entrance to Sony Public Arcade
AT&T Age
When the building design was presented there is a strong feed back from the public about the space design. This feedback is about the building base public space that was not following the zoning law of set back. It was called tower's looming bulk without setbacks on such a narrow avenue in such a congested area. However, this argument was not a major issue compared to the post modern style of Building Top. It may look like a lucky time for Phillip Johnson and Burgee. They were the two top architects of the country at a time and their idea of public space was easily approved by their clients and New York City. But they had to make a negotiation with some arrangement of the urban activities on the street level.
Zoning laws requiring not only effect a plaza but also ground-level shops that would have been arrayed close enough to the entrance to deprive it of the grandeur. Philip wanted for it led him and John to the inventive idea of raising the whole structure sixty feet off the ground and supporting it on massive columns. The lobby would be smaller but kept at grade, and the shops would be moved to a glazed galleria at the rear of the tower. The open area, whose great piers reminded Philip of an Egyptian hypostyle hall, would be given over to benches and cafe seating, thus providing the public amenities expected of a plaza. The entrance was conceived as a mammoth, 116-foot-high round arch flanked on each side by three shorter 60-foot rectangular openings that create the effect of an arcade.
Of course, the arcade was interrupted by the entrance and was not continuous along Madison Avenue, thereby only offering partial protection for pedestrians from the elements.
The tower's base had two high open gallerias with public setting consisting of cast-iron chairs and tables painted white. The east and west sides of these spaces each had three large openings with flat tops as opposed to the building entrance's arched opening, which rose several floors higher. The north and south facades of the base had similar openings. These galleries were originally criticized for being a bit too drafty, as a result of their considerable height, and for their furniture being a bit cute. Their intent, of course, was to provide some public open space in a very congested area with relatively narrow sidewalks.
Sony Age
When the building was sold to Sony, furthermore, the city agreed to let the new owner enclose the galleries with windows that were similar to the multi-panel treatment used at the building's entrance, as shown in the picture above.
The city's acquiescence with the Sony designs was an incredulous and egregious error as the changes violated the building's original design integrity and, more importantly, appropriated for commercial use the public space of the original gallerias for which the project had received a substantial zoning bonus that enabled the building to contain more office space. There was a little public debate that did not change the result substantially. A new, unattractive banner proclaims that the new Sony Plaza is public and there is some public seating that resulted from the fact that the new corporate showrooms do not extend all the way back to the through-block atrium.
The north end of the through-block atrium faces the very handsome and successful, large, skylight atrium of the former IBM Building on the next block north.
Sony Wonder
The hi-tech free-admission museum presents the history of Sony Corporation. All the technology, production, etc. inform the milestone of this company. The exhibition area was designed to be interactive with visitors. All the visitors can go and "play" with all the objects notjust only looking at it. There are also shops, theatres, etc provided. The visitors will be able to learn about the basic and invention of the technology of every era since the opaque mode, analog to digital. Sony Wonder is an example of contribution to public with not only activities space but the space for gaining knowledge.
What inspired Sony to purchase such a Post-Modern landmark, which is still too young to be considered for designation as an official city landmark because of the city's archaic and timid landmark regulations, is very hard to understand. Sony's product innovations and elegant product design would lead one to assume that its major facilities would have a somewhat consistent design philosophy, or motif, namely, something high-tech, modern, dazzling, and maybe even abstract.
Picture: Inside Sony Museum
Opinion
The Public space of Sony Museum has a different sense of public space than others in New York because it is in the enclosure. The glass panel and the skylight divided the space to be inside. There are assets and constraints of this public space:
Assets
1. Temperature Controllable - New York City is so fluctuant in terms of climate, the harsh summer and very cold winter. The out door open public space, sometimes, cannot be used with uncomfortable weather. With the glass enclosure that can still allow the people to experience the out door durational and seasonal atmosphere, people are more comfortable to use this space all year round.
2. The short cut - The atrium became a short cut between the 53rd Street and 54th Street. A lot of are people using it in theday time, especially in winter to get away from thecold weather outside.
3. Storefront and Cafe as a street activity- On the ground floor there are Sony stores that sell all Sony new products, Starbucks cafe and other retail shops. These stores give the public a choice to enter to shopping. It may be considered as a way to make money; but on the other hand, it is the street activities that bring life to the place too. There are seats that provided in the inside glass atrium. Everyday, there are lots of working people around the area bringing their lunch to eat here.
4. Sony Wonder, the free museum - This museum gives the people another choice of activity with knowledge. All the exhibition is in interactive mode. Visitors can "play" with the objects, not just looking at it. There are also shops and theatre inside.
5. High-quality finishing - this plaza has high-value finishing. The designer wanted this to be the prototype of public space in New York that do more thing not just only prepare the open space and do nothing with it. They also have to treat it well.
Picture: Another Entrance to Sony Plaza Public Arcade
Constraints
1. It is hard to be sensed by the people whether it is the public space. It is the public space that has the glass-wall enclosure. Therefore, sometimes, the people who visit the place for the first time do not know that there are many activities inside. They do not know that they are welcome to enter the space. Therefore, Sony has to provide the signage to inform the people. The icon of "tree" has been using all over New York City especially for the public space that is hardly seen from outside.
2. Opening Hours - This Sony Public Space has their own hours. It is opened at 7.00am and closed at 11.00pm. Therefore it is the public space but still being controlled by the organization. Sometimes it loses the sense of public because not everybody can use it at anytime.
This Sony Public Plaza is another innovation in terms of public space as a part of High-Rise Building after Citicorp. As the history says, what we see right now is what have been done by Sony Corporation. There are many reasons that can explain why Sony has contributed so much compared to other organizations who have the high-rise buildings in the same area. One reason that I assume is that the Japanese always have a high-level of urban concern. In Japan, the urban public space is always created in high-quality of design, construction, finishing, etc. The designer has to do a lot of research before start designing. Japanese people live in very small space and always hang out outside. That is the main reason.
The public plaza of Sony Building was created with the same type glass enclosed plaza of IBM building. Sony adopted this idea from IBM and made it well together as a whole. Both plazas are the very attractive points for the people in Midtown Manhattan.
Picture: Signage for Public Information