The world’s slenderest skyscraper has been completed and thrown open for residents. The skinny skyscraper is the latest addition to Manhattan’s famous skyline.
111 West 57th Street, also known as Steinway Tower has a width-to-height ratio of just 1:24, making it the most slender skyscraper ever built.
Standing at 1,428 feet tall, Steinway Tower is one of the tallest buildings in the Western hemisphere, second only to One World Trade Center, and Central Park Tower, both in New York City.
The building houses 60 apartments across 84 stories and the adjacent Steinway Hall building.
The slender tower was designed by New York-based architects SHoP Architects, and jointly built by JDS Development, Spruce Capital Partners and Property Markets Group. Construction of the building began in 2013, and has been referred to as a project of extraordinary proportions and epic grandeur.
Since slender skyscrapers became a hallmark of the Hong Kong skyline in the seventies, major cities like New York were quick to follow suit.
SHoP Architects mentioned that they were keen to create a bold and new interpretation of the New York Skyline at the same time highlighting the location’s historic value.
Constructed as an addition to the famous Steinway Hall, home of the renowned piano maker Steinway and Sons, the super-tall structure took nine years to complete.
The architects claim to have drawn inspiration from Manhattan’s skyscrapers and Art Deco history of New York City.
Steinway Tower is now opening its doors to new residents. While the building’s silhouette is skinny, the prices certainly aren’t, ranging from USD7.75 million for a studio apartment to a staggering USD66 million for the penthouse.
History and Architecture of Steinway Tower skyscraper
Etching its name as the world’s slenderest skyscraper, Steinway Tower’s unique staggered form makes it stand out on the New York skyline. Constructed on a plot width of just 18 meters, the tower stands at a majestic height of 1,428 feet above the ground.
With a width-to-height ration of just 1:24, Steinway Tower is the world’s slenderest structure ever built. The North side of the building extends to the pinnacle of the building, while the opposite South side features a series of setbacks, creating a distinct staggered form.
Steinway Towers creates a unique identity that sets it apart from monotonous glass buildings, with the use of terracotta and bronze. The terracotta-bronze combination appears to change color in different light, and is an excellent example of engineering and design.
Located on Billionaires Row on 57th Street, Steinway Tower has been constructed as a residential building. The original building, however was designed with a different purpose in mind. Built in 1925, the original building was home to the famous piano maker Steinberg and Sons. This building was designed by Warren and Wetmore. The building was demarcated as a landmark structure in 2001, and thereafter could not be torn down. JDS Development took over the tower in 2012, and construction of the new Steinway Tower commenced in 2015.
Steinway Tower is the second tallest residential building in New York (435 meters tall) with 80 floors, following the Central Park Tower (473 meters tall ). Reflecting the values of a classical New York building, Steinway Tower was designed by SHoP architects. The old and the new structure have been seamlessly combined with finely designed structure and interior spaces.
The historical building has been retained at the forefront of the structure, while the new residential structure resides at the back of the property. The entrance of the tower is made using a combination of glass panels and setbacks. As a result, the staggered form is developed by using setbacks as the basic concept. The building feathers away as it gains more height to accentuate the massing concept.
The original Steinway building has been renovated and converted into 14 condominium units, whereas the new tower comprises 46 condominiums with 7 duplex apartments. Most of the condominiums occupy a full floor area and typically consist of three bedrooms and three and a half baths. The units have a grey oak floor, complete with a private entry adjacent to the elevator. The living room door features a bronze handle in the shape of the tower which is designed by P. E. Guerin Hardware. The attention to minute detail makes it apparent that the structure has been built with a neo-classical style.
Some of the amenities in the building include an 82-foot long swimming pool, gym, barbershop, shoeshine stand and a lounge featuring an original Steinway Grand piano.
As the height of the building increases, the width of the setbacks on the South side of the building recede, giving the impression that the building disappears into the sky. The North and South side of the building flaunt large glass panels, while the East and West side feature terracotta and bronze vertical bands, with smaller windows.
Resonant with its unique style, the Steinway Tower does away with the glass and metal structures of its’ neighbors, and uses traditional material to enrich the exteriors. Terracotta, formed and molded with the help of computer software, is just one example of how the structure combines the rich history of the past with contemporary techniques. The terracotta panels and bronze lattices also have structural significance as they partially reduce the wind forces on the skyscraper.
Due to the slenderness ratio of 1:24, Steinway tower is categorized as a super-slender building. Such a building is more flexible as a structure, and therefore should be designed to resist the lateral movements of the building. To endure the wind and seismic forces, the buildings feature two 3ft thick shear walls running through the entire east and west facade, whereas the north and south facade has columns to enhance the panoramic view of central park.
800 tons of tuned mass damper has also been installed to decrease lateral movement at the top of the building which is hidden by a lightweight steel structure. The presence of a spire and steel truss on top also significantly reduces the acceleration caused due to lateral movement
The seamless integration of the new residential tower to the old Steinway Hall is what makes the 111 West 57th street building one of its kind.