The garden will be at the back of the skyscraper
550 Madison Avenue , the iconic skyscraper postmodern that Philip Johnson and John Burgee designed in 1959 , will undergo a renewal that will bear the seal of the Norwegian architecture studio Snøhetta.
What will be your greatest attraction? The garden they will create in the back of the building for the use and enjoyment of the citizens of New York , becoming the covered pedestrian space -and privately owned- largest in the city.
It will be the largest covered public space (privately owned) in the city.
This vast space dense vegetation invite your visitors to slow down and connect between them and with the environment.
Philip Johnson and John Burgee's goal when they designed the 550 Madison was not only to create a spectacular office building, but also a meeting point with spaces for the Midtown East community. Idea you are betting on Snøhetta.
"The privately owned public spaces they are an important part of the public domain of New York. Urban life thrives around the places that allow us to connect with each other and with nature", said Michelle Delk, director of landscape architecture at Snøhetta.
"We are delighted to be a part of the future renovation of this historic site," she says.
The garden will be 50% larger than the current public space
The new garden will be 50% larger than the current outdoor public space, opening along the west end of the tower thanks to a series of interconnected rooms that provide both quiet spaces and larger open areas.
In addition, this urban orchard will be partially covered by a new glass canopy and formed by a series of circles that intersect in plan. The geometry of these rooms is a shows Philip Johnson's use of circular motifs.
These rooms invite passers-by to wander, meet for lunch, socialize, let yourself be enveloped by the murmur of the water from the fountain -visible from the renovated interior hall- or simply feel a little closer to nature.
More than 40 trees will be planted where there are none today, encouraging birds, butterflies and other pollinators become part of this shared urban habitat.
panoramic view of the garden
The plants –evergreen trees and flowering shrubs– have been carefully selected for adapt to seasonal dynamics of the weather Northeast and natural light conditions.
In turn, the presence of vegetation along both sides of the street will announce the entrances, creating attractive entrance doors to the garden.
The plan, which was submitted on December 4, 2018 and has finally been approved, 94% of the building's exterior will remain unchanged. For now it is unknown when the work will end.