590 Madison Avenue
Encyclopedia
Formerly the IBM Building, 590 Madison Avenue is a 603 feet (183.8 m) tall skyscraper at the corner of 57th street in New York City
, New York
. It was completed in 1983 and has 41 floors. The building cost US$10 million, has 93592 square metres (1,007,415.9 sq ft) of floor area, has 24 elevators, and is the 89th tallest building in New York. Edward Larrabee Barnes & Associates
designed the building, and IBM
developed it. IBM sold the tower to E.J. Minskoff Equities Inc in 1994. As of December 2007, 98% of the building is leased.
, many of the skyscrapers were built on the island one after another. To preserve the environmental quality on street level, regulations on skyscraper construction was needed. The city announced the zoning solution
that was the first one in U.S. The solution focused on providing more sunlight and air to street level. Using three types of zoning districts with set back rules regulated the size and height of buildings. The most famous skyscrapers during this period were the Empire State Building
and Chrysler Building
. The stepping shape style that was called “wedding cake” or “ziggurat” is the result of these zoning regulations. Developers and architects in this era tried to obtain the maximum space of a building by working within the zoning restrictions.[2]
(FAR) regulation instead of setback rules. A building’s maximum floor area is regulated according to the ratio that was imposed to the site where the building is located. Another feature of new zoning solution was adjacent public open space. If developers put adjacent public open space to their buildings, they could get additional area for their building as a bonus. This incentive bonus rule was created because of the strong influence from two representative skyscrapers. The Seagram building
by Mies van der Rohe with Philip Johnson
, and the Lever House
by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill introduced the new ideas about office building with open space. These buildings changed the skyline of New York City with both the advent of simple glass box design and their treatment of adjacent open spaces. The new zoning encouraged privately owned public space to ease the density of the city. (3)
is one of the greatest modernists in American architecture history. He was born in 1915, Chicago, Illinois, the son of Cecil Barnes, a lawyer who graduated from Harvard, and Margaret Ayer Barns, a successful writer who won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel “Years of Grace” in 1931. He studied English, art history, and history of architecture in Harvard. After one year teaching in Milton Academy, he returned to the school and studied architecture in the Harvard Graduate School of Design
. In the school, he was influenced as a modernist under the leadership of two German immigrant architects, Walter Gropius
and Marcel Breuer
. After travelling in Europe on a Sheldon Traveling Fellowship, he moved to New York to start his practice. His work ranged widely between residential, commercial, educational, and cultural projects. The style of his work can be described as pure modernist. He often used simple and geometrical forms to approach in his project. His selflessness led him to build projects that corresponded to site and context, client preferences, user friendliness, and he often achieved a good balance in the limited budget and various regulations. The quality of his work contributed to the development of American modern architecture. He died in Cupertino, California, 2004, at 89 ages. [6] [7]
Representative work
Use of 41 stories building is mainly office use. At ground level, some retail stores are facing 57th Street. The building occupies only 40 percent of the property and the rest of the square footage are assigned to public open space. The space is filled with series of amenities such as food and drink kiosks, tables and chairs, receptacles, and so on. Green bamboo trees installed in the space celebrates the serenity of an indoor garden. Also, art work displayed inside entertains visitors. This space is occasionally used for some events.[9] [10]
2. W.Bressi, Todd. “Planning and Zoning New York City.” 1993, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey PP.7–9
3. W.Bressi, Todd. “Planning and Zoning New York City.” 1993, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey PP.9–12
4. Larrabee Barnes, Edward. “Edward Larrabee Barnes, Architect” 1994, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. PP.158–165
5. Kayden, Jerold S. The New York City Department of City Planning. The Municipal Society Art of New York. “Privately Owned Public Space” 2000, John Wiley PP.173–174
6. Larrabee Barnes, Edward. “Edward Larrabee Barnes, Architect” 1994, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.
7. Douglas Martine, “Edward Larrabee barnes, Modern Architect, Dies at 89” New York Times, September 23, 2004
8. Architectural Record, May 1984 V.172 no. 6
9. W.Bressi, Todd. “Planning and Zoning New York City.” 1993, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, PP.173–4
10. Larrabee Barnes, Edward. “Edward Larrabee Barnes, Architect” 1994, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. PP. 158–165
11. Architectural Record, May 1984 V.172 no.6 P.149
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It was completed in 1983 and has 41 floors. The building cost US$10 million, has 93592 square metres (1,007,415.9 sq ft) of floor area, has 24 elevators, and is the 89th tallest building in New York. Edward Larrabee Barnes & Associates
Edward Larrabee Barnes
Edward Larrabee Barnes was a American architect.Barnes was born in Chicago, Illinois into a family he described as "incense-swinging High Episcopalians", consisting of Cecil Barnes, a lawyer, and Margaret Helen Ayer, recipient of a Pulitzer Prize for the novel Year of Grace...
designed the building, and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
developed it. IBM sold the tower to E.J. Minskoff Equities Inc in 1994. As of December 2007, 98% of the building is leased.
Overview
590 Madison Avenue is an office building formerly owned by IBM. It was completed in 1983, and was used as the company headquarters until it was sold to E. J. Minskoff Equity Inc. in 1994. The building is located on Madison Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets in Manhattan, New York City. As a 41 story building, its height reaches 603 feet (184m). It has a unique wedge shape and an adjacent, privately-owned public space covered by a glass structure, which contains resting chairs, tables, and bamboo trees, and is used for pedestrian circulation, resting, amenities, art displays and cultural events. [1]Zoning 1916
In the early 20th century, Manhattan was the place for experimental skyscraper buildings. After the appearance of the earliest skyscrapers such as the Flatiron BuildingFlatiron Building
The Flatiron Building, or Fuller Building, as it was originally called, is located at 175 Fifth Avenue in the borough of Manhattan, New York City and is considered to be a groundbreaking skyscraper. Upon completion in 1902 it was one of the tallest buildings in the city and the only skyscraper...
, many of the skyscrapers were built on the island one after another. To preserve the environmental quality on street level, regulations on skyscraper construction was needed. The city announced the zoning solution
1916 Zoning Resolution
The New York City 1916 Zoning Resolution was a measure adopted primarily to stop massive buildings such as the Equitable Building from preventing light and air from reaching the streets below...
that was the first one in U.S. The solution focused on providing more sunlight and air to street level. Using three types of zoning districts with set back rules regulated the size and height of buildings. The most famous skyscrapers during this period were the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
and Chrysler Building
Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco style skyscraper in New York City, located on the east side of Manhattan in the Turtle Bay area at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Standing at , it was the world's tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State...
. The stepping shape style that was called “wedding cake” or “ziggurat” is the result of these zoning regulations. Developers and architects in this era tried to obtain the maximum space of a building by working within the zoning restrictions.[2]
1961 Zoning Resolution
In 1961 the city reformed the first zoning solution. The new zoning solution used the Floor Area RatioFloor Area Ratio
The floor area ratio or floor space index is the ratio of the total floor area of buildings on a certain location to the size of the land of that location, or the limit imposed on such a ratio....
(FAR) regulation instead of setback rules. A building’s maximum floor area is regulated according to the ratio that was imposed to the site where the building is located. Another feature of new zoning solution was adjacent public open space. If developers put adjacent public open space to their buildings, they could get additional area for their building as a bonus. This incentive bonus rule was created because of the strong influence from two representative skyscrapers. The Seagram building
Seagram Building
The Seagram Building is a skyscraper, located at 375 Park Avenue, between 52nd Street and 53rd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, in collaboration with Philip Johnson. Severud Associates were the structural engineering consultants. The building...
by Mies van der Rohe with Philip Johnson
Philip Johnson
Philip Cortelyou Johnson was an influential American architect.In 1930, he founded the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and later , as a trustee, he was awarded an American Institute of Architects Gold Medal and the first Pritzker Architecture...
, and the Lever House
Lever House
Lever House, designed by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and located at 390 Park Avenue in New York City, is the quintessential and seminal glass-box skyscraper built in the International style according to the design principles of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Completed in 1952, it was...
by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill introduced the new ideas about office building with open space. These buildings changed the skyline of New York City with both the advent of simple glass box design and their treatment of adjacent open spaces. The new zoning encouraged privately owned public space to ease the density of the city. (3)
Headquarters of IBM Company
In 1973, the construction of the IBM building was permitted by New York City. Its plan included square footage exceeded the legal limitation of allowable floor area but it was accepted because of the bonus for providing benefits of public open space. The building was completed in 1983. It’s a successful example of an office building providing public open space. [4]Change of ownership from IBM to Minskoff Equities
The building was used by the IBM as its headquarter until sold to Edward J. Minskoff Equities Inc. in 1994. In following year, the new owner applied to the City Planning Commission for the modification proposal of its atrium. After hearing of arguments for and against the proposal, the public space was altered. Although there were some changes in the atrium such as the removal of a few bamboo trees, additional chairs, and displays of sculpture, it still kept the designation as an oasis in the city. The building and its atrium have been known as one of the most monumental buildings and popular open spaces in the city. [5]Architect Edward Larrabee Barnes
Edward Larrabee BarnesEdward Larrabee Barnes
Edward Larrabee Barnes was a American architect.Barnes was born in Chicago, Illinois into a family he described as "incense-swinging High Episcopalians", consisting of Cecil Barnes, a lawyer, and Margaret Helen Ayer, recipient of a Pulitzer Prize for the novel Year of Grace...
is one of the greatest modernists in American architecture history. He was born in 1915, Chicago, Illinois, the son of Cecil Barnes, a lawyer who graduated from Harvard, and Margaret Ayer Barns, a successful writer who won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel “Years of Grace” in 1931. He studied English, art history, and history of architecture in Harvard. After one year teaching in Milton Academy, he returned to the school and studied architecture in the Harvard Graduate School of Design
Harvard Graduate School of Design
The Harvard Graduate School of Design is a graduate school at Harvard University offering degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning and Design.-History:...
. In the school, he was influenced as a modernist under the leadership of two German immigrant architects, Walter Gropius
Walter Gropius
Walter Adolph Georg Gropius was a German architect and founder of the Bauhaus School who, along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture....
and Marcel Breuer
Marcel Breuer
Marcel Lajos Breuer , was a Hungarian-born modernist, architect and furniture designer of Jewish descent. One of the masters of Modernism, Breuer displayed interest in modular construction and simple forms.- Life and work :Known to his friends and associates as Lajkó, Breuer studied and taught at...
. After travelling in Europe on a Sheldon Traveling Fellowship, he moved to New York to start his practice. His work ranged widely between residential, commercial, educational, and cultural projects. The style of his work can be described as pure modernist. He often used simple and geometrical forms to approach in his project. His selflessness led him to build projects that corresponded to site and context, client preferences, user friendliness, and he often achieved a good balance in the limited budget and various regulations. The quality of his work contributed to the development of American modern architecture. He died in Cupertino, California, 2004, at 89 ages. [6] [7]
Representative work
- Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas (1978–83,84,93)
- Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota (1966–71, 84)
- Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, Maine (1958–61, 79)
Site and context
The site of the building, 590 Madison Avenue (between 56th and 57th Street) is in the Upper East Side of Manhattan which is dense with many office buildings. Interestingly, the location is close to two of other significant skyscrapers that also have public open spaces, the Trump Tower, and the Sony Building, formerly AT&T World Headquarters. This context strongly influenced to the design of the building. Its wedge shape was intended to avoid too much volume of the building toward 56th Street that is a relatively narrow street, Instead, Barnes faced the building toward 57th Street and Madison Avenue directly without setback. The space saved by cutting the South West corner of the building assigned to create open space at ground level. The open space is connected to 5th Avenue through the atrium in the Trump Tower. Also, a pedestrian arcade is across the block and creates circulation from 57th Street through 56th Street to Sony Building. The open space of the IBM building not only provides the space to escape from density but also activates the circulation in this area. [8]Form and use
The building was designed as a unique wedged shape cutting South West corner of rectangular box. The volume can be seen differently from different angles, sometimes slender, sometimes gigantic. The entrance of the building is the most impressive part of the façade providing spectacle and openness to the street and welcoming visitors.Use of 41 stories building is mainly office use. At ground level, some retail stores are facing 57th Street. The building occupies only 40 percent of the property and the rest of the square footage are assigned to public open space. The space is filled with series of amenities such as food and drink kiosks, tables and chairs, receptacles, and so on. Green bamboo trees installed in the space celebrates the serenity of an indoor garden. Also, art work displayed inside entertains visitors. This space is occasionally used for some events.[9] [10]
Material and structure
The exterior of the building is covered by gray green glass and polished granite. The moderately reflective surface keeps changing its texture depending on the angle and the light. The use of transparent glass for the public space emphasizes its openness and lets plenty of sunlight in. The wedge shape building was a challenge in terms of structure because its shape caused more wind load than that to conventional box shape skyscrapers. After wind tunnel tests, original structural system was revised because of the wind load. The frames around the elevator shafts are kept as they were, then diagonal frames were added. Columns on the perimeter of the building were moved closer by half and the spandrel beams were strengthened. Surprisingly, after reconsideration of structure, the total amount of steel decreased. Another interesting the challenge in structure was cantilevered entrance. The point is not how to support the load above but how to keep the stability of the building. Using stronger and bigger columns for the base solved this problem. [11]Reference
1. Larrabee Barnes, Edward. “Edward Larrabee Barnes, Architect” 1994, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. PP.158–1652. W.Bressi, Todd. “Planning and Zoning New York City.” 1993, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey PP.7–9
3. W.Bressi, Todd. “Planning and Zoning New York City.” 1993, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey PP.9–12
4. Larrabee Barnes, Edward. “Edward Larrabee Barnes, Architect” 1994, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. PP.158–165
5. Kayden, Jerold S. The New York City Department of City Planning. The Municipal Society Art of New York. “Privately Owned Public Space” 2000, John Wiley PP.173–174
6. Larrabee Barnes, Edward. “Edward Larrabee Barnes, Architect” 1994, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.
7. Douglas Martine, “Edward Larrabee barnes, Modern Architect, Dies at 89” New York Times, September 23, 2004
8. Architectural Record, May 1984 V.172 no. 6
9. W.Bressi, Todd. “Planning and Zoning New York City.” 1993, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, PP.173–4
10. Larrabee Barnes, Edward. “Edward Larrabee Barnes, Architect” 1994, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. PP. 158–165
11. Architectural Record, May 1984 V.172 no.6 P.149
Notable tenants
- IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
is the largest tenant maintaining a significant portion of its New York City based workforce spanning multiple floors of the building. - Arkin Kaplan Rice LLP
- Lovells
- Russell Investments
- TravelzooTravelzooTravelzoo is a global Internet media company. With 23 million subscribers in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific and 23 offices worldwide, Travelzoo publishes deals from more than 2,000 travel, entertainment and local companies...
- Galleon GroupGalleon GroupGalleon Group was one of the largest hedge fund management firms in the world, managing over $7 billion, before closing in October 2009. The firm was at the center of a 2009 insider trading scandal that resulted in investors pulling capital from the firm rapidly...
- Bain CapitalBain CapitalBain Capital LLC is a Boston-based private equity firm founded in 1984 by partners from the consulting firm Bain & Company. Originally conceived as an early-stage, growth-oriented investment fund, Bain Capital today manages approximately $65 billion in assets, and its strategies include private...
- Smith BarneySmith BarneyMorgan Stanley Smith Barney is a retail brokerage joint venture between Morgan Stanley and Citigroup.On January 13, 2009, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup announced that Citigroup would sell 51% of Smith Barney to Morgan Stanley, creating Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, which was formerly a division of...
- Morgan StanleyMorgan StanleyMorgan Stanley is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City serving a diversified group of corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. Morgan Stanley also operates in 36 countries around the world, with over 600 offices and a workforce of over 60,000....
- CitigroupCitigroupCitigroup Inc. or Citi is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate...
- Bank of AmericaBank of AmericaBank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
- UBS
- CemexCemexCEMEX is the world's largest building materials supplier and third largest cement producer. Founded in Mexico in 1906, the company is based in Monterrey, Mexico...
- Crowell & MoringCrowell & MoringCrowell & Moring is an international law firm headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in Irvine, New York City, Los Angeles, Anchorage, San Francisco, London and Brussels, and around 450 lawyers....
- RegusRegusRegus plc is a multinational corporation that provides serviced office accommodation in business centres worldwide. As of March 2011, it operates 1,100 business centres in 85 countries. The Company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index...
- W Spann LLCW Spann LLCW Spann LLC was a phantom company created at the behest of an originally unknown person by Boston lawyer Cameron Casey on March 15, 2011, apparently for the sole purpose of anonymously donating one million dollars to Restore Our Future, a Super PAC supporting U.S. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney...
(Now defunct)