425 Park Ave
Foster + Partners take over Park Avenue in Manhattan with a Vacuum
The 1970s have arrived
Singapore in New York
Foster + Partners seem like a good match for the classical modernism of Park Avenue — think Lever House, Seagram, 270 Park Ave (new Chase Building) — with a little more contemporary feel of floating volumes and structural expressionism. The double height spaces in the lower third look functional for event spaces.
MoMA minimalism
When you get closer, the dynamic volume begins to fade and you are left with hyper-white museum space. Hopefully there is better design detailing in the upper 2/3, seeing some circular lights above, but that’s unlikely. Usually with hyper-minimal spaces you end up seeing every bad detail and poorly finished fixture.
Weird Lobby
The lobby is a missed opportunity for a large social space. Instead it is cut in half to make for two levels of MoMA minimalist museum space.
Better from Afar
What’s missing in much of post-modern architecture is a lack of class — instead of the human scale classical modernism of Park Ave we are left with industrial design that looks more like a giant vacuum cleaner but cold and lifeless up close. At least in Singapore you get nice tropical foliage hanging everywhere. Not in New York.
