New York has always inspired with its high-rise buildings; a city synonymous with skyscrapers
that gave definition to the term. But the height, engineering and design of the latest
building to join its skyline, is truly remarkable.
The building is situated on a tight site between East 56th and 57th Streets on the west side
of Park Avenue.
It shares a block with several other buildings on the former site of the Drake Hotel, built
in 1926 but acquired and demolished by a private developer – Harry Macklowe – in 2007.
The unimaginative site, sandwiched between other structures and busy city streets, is
actually one of the world’s most valuable pieces of land. Macklowe bought the space
for USD $440M and needed to maximise floor area in any new building in order to maximise
the return on his investment. Like most of New York’s developments, unable to go anywhere
else, things started moving upwards.
The result is a structure with one of the world’s most extreme width to height ratios
– just 1:15 – demonstrating just how much value has been squeezed from this relative
postage stamp of a site. Engineering a tower like this, is far from simple.
From deep foundations on Manhattan Island’s solid bedrock, two basement levels were formed.
From there, 432 Park Avenue begins to climb. The building’s design by Architect Rafael
Viñoly is said to be inspired by a Josef Hoffman wastepaper bin. It is based around
square geometry in its very purest form. Each side of the square floorplate is enclosed
by six square windows and the tower rises with uniform symmetry to its summit.
It reaches a staggering height of 426 meters, creating 104 apartments over 96 levels and
some 3,100 meters squared of floor space.
The wind vortex acting on a tower as thin as this could easily have created an uncomfortable
amount of movement for those on the highest levels. Conventionally, this would have been
managed with shear walls which are wider at the bottom of the building and grow narrower
as it rises. However, this would have reduced space and reduced external views for those
on lower levels, something that the project team were keen to avoid.
Instead they located the core in the centre of the plan and moved the rest of the reinforced
concrete structure – a basket grid of beams and columns – to the building’s perimeter,
leaving clear spans inside for maximum space and flexibility in how that space can be used.
To further reduce the risk of swaying, two floors in every 12 are left open so that wind
currents can pass through. These each contain mechanical services for the six floors above
and below them to reduce the amount of ductwork needed internally.
Two enormous tuned mass dampers at the top of the tower and in the outriggers of some
of the mechanical floors help to further dampen the motion.
The building’s reinforced concrete structure was poured in-situ using a climber rig that
rose up the concrete lift shafts as they were created. It was later dismantled and brought
down those same lift shafts running through the centre of the building.
Now completed, 432 Park Avenue is one of the tallest residential towers in the world. Its
residences range from a 33 square meter studio apartment to penthouses between the 91st and
96th floors designed by Deborah Berke. Occupants can enjoy dedicated amenities including golf
training facilities, private dining and cinema screening rooms.
Aside from the Park Avenue address it’s clear that what these homes really offer is
a view unlike any other.
Looking at images like this, it’s tempting to call it priceless but that would be a mistake.
To take a bath here and make a home in this six bedroom, seven bathroom apartment will
set you back almost USD $95M.
Despite its impressive design and engineering feats, 432 Park Avenue has not been universally
welcomed by New Yorkers. Some describe it as an eyesore that casts a shadow over key
areas of the city; in particular Central Park. Others feel that it caters only for the super-rich
and represents a growing wealth divide that’s seen those on middle and lower incomes forced
to move out to the neighbouring suburbs and commute in.
The fact that New Yorkers have an opinion on the structure is testament to the impact
it has already had on the city’s iconic skyline.
432 Park Avenue is the latest in a long heritage of high-rise buildings in this city and it
won’t be the last. For now at least, it has helped start the next chapter and like
so many before it, made its own contribution to the debate and ever-progressing engineering
science that drives the world’s most famous skyline.
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