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Title: The Complex Path to Simple Elegance: The Story of 432 Park Avenue

Author: Harry Macklowe, Chairman, Macklowe Properties

Subjects: Architectural/Design
Building Case Study
Interior Design
Structural Engineering

Keywords: Interior Design

Structure
Supertall

Publication Date: 2015

Original Publication: Global Interchanges: Resurgence of the Skyscraper City

Paper Type: 1. Book chapter/Part chapter

2. Journal paper
3. Conference proceeding
4. Unpublished conference paper
5. Magazine article
6. Unpublished

© Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat / Harry Macklowe

The Complex Path to Simple Elegance:
The Story of 432 Park Avenue

Abstract
Harry Macklowe
Chairman This paper chronicles the development and design of 432 Park Avenue, New York, which,
Macklowe Properties, Inc., is the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the world’s most
New York City, USA
luxurious. The extraordinary building is deceptively simple in appearance, when in fact it is
the culmination of years of intensive optimization under challenging financial, engineering,
and regulatory constraints.
Macklowe Properties was founded by Harry Macklowe nearly
50 years ago. Mr. Macklowe’s contributions to Manhattan’s
skyline have totaled over 13 million square feet and range
from 432 Park Avenue, to the Metropolitan Tower on Keywords: 432 Park Avenue; New York; Real Estate; Residential; Skyscraper
West 57th Street, to the General Motors Building and the
flagship Apple Store on the building’s Fifth Avenue Plaza
known for its signature 32’ glass cube that is included on
the American Institute of Architect’s list of America’s favorite
architectural structures. He is presently developing residential
condominiums and retail at the landmarked One Wall
Street, and 200 East 59th Street, and recently completed the
residential condominium conversions of 737 Park Avenue and Introduction
150 East 72nd Street.

The opportunity to develop a project like 432 Park Avenue (see Figure 1) comes but once in a
lifetime, if at all. This is a project that single-handedly redefines the luxury market in New York and
the skyline at the same time. While some of its neighbors broadcast through their architecture the
extreme contortions of property rights, engineering and development acumen that went into
creating them, 432 Park Avenue is an essay in logic and cool reserve, even as it offers the most
jaw-dropping views and interior spaces available on the market. This paper describes some of the
incredible achievements that took place in order to achieve a design that is so timeless, elegant and
deceptively simple.

As-of-Right on the Site

The site of 432 Park Avenue is in a prime area of Midtown along Park Avenue between 56th and
57th streets, just a few blocks southeast of Central Park. The bulk of the site was occupied by the
former Drake Hotel, which dated from 1926. In order to develop a viable property on this site, it was
necessary to consider how the zoning of the site, and the positioning of the site among a forest of
other tall buildings, would permit the ceiling heights and the views that would be necessary to make
the project financially viable.

The site is located in two zoning districts –C5-2.5 and C5-3, which dictated that, if the building
were built to the street edge, it would need a series of setbacks as it progressed upwards. Left to
a conventional interpretation, this would have dictated a building that started with a low, wide
base and a large footprint that would have made a difficult layout for residential apartments
(and essentially eliminated the ability to provide a view), then quickly tapered to a point as it
rose above its neighbors. This also meant floor plates near the top that would be too thin to
support marketable units.

In order to develop the shape, a very experienced and adept architect’s office was needed. The
developers went through proposals from many talented architects, but only one was able to
solve the essential problem of form – Rafael Viñoly Architects. In addition to great and visionary
leadership, the firm had also invested well in young people with an aptitude for complex
computer programs. So it was that the team was able to build design software based on a
concept called “Waldrum Points.”

In essence, the software imposes parabolic lines from every conceivable view point of the site, which
allow a much more creative interpretation of the setback requirements, preserving the intent of the
code – to provide a reasonable amount of sky exposure against a reasonable building mass – while
diverging from a typically clumsy, and financially unviable interpretation of the “letter of the law.”

It surprises many that the form resulting from a sophisticated application of 21st-century parabolic
modeling software is the purest form in geometry – the square. But this was the conclusion that
allowed the project to go forward.

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The project was to be located at the center The Architecture Of course, it was impossible to offer luxury
of the block, such that it belonged neither apartments in this location without offering
to 56th nor 57th streets, instead providing Once it became clear that the plan of the spectacular views. The team took incredible
frontages optimized to both conditions. building would be a perfect square, the design care to document what the view would be
By starting well back from the street edge, began to take shape. Inspired by the gridded like from every floor, from every angle, using
the code allowed a building of up to 1,500 household products designed by the Austrian a set of drones with panoramic cameras
feet (457 meters) in height. Ultimately the architect Joseph Hoffman and redolent of a Sol attached, taking photos that were then
project did not quite reach this height, Le Witt sculpture, the six-window grid became incorporated into the renderings of each floor
but its 15:1 aspect ratio and its location a defining feature of the building, and was to (see Figure 2).
in the center of Manhattan makes it truly play a vital role in its structural performance
unmistakable on the horizon. and apartment-layout flexibility. The bonuses available in the code drove the
location of the building and its height. There is
This building is built “as of right” in The 432 Park Avenue tower has 96 stories a public plaza provided along the 56th Street
accordance with regulations, meaning that measuring 93 feet square (804 square meters), edge, adjoined by a private semi-circular
no trade-offs of air rights with adjoining or each with six 100-square-foot (9.3-square- driveway (see Figure 3), while the 57th Street
discontinuous properties were necessary. meter) windows per face. The tower’s facade is completed to the sidewalk and
In essence, the compromise was to have condominium units range from a 1,789 committed to retail use. Another small building
a smaller floor size in order to have a very square-foot (166 square-meter) two-bedroom, occupies the southeast corner of the site,
tall building. No civic or administrative two and a half bath, to a 8,255 square-foot containing retail on the lower two floors, and,
approvals were required beyond adhering (768 square-meter), six-bedroom, seven and behind the continuation of the curtain wall
to the regulation. This may seem arcane a half bath penthouse. When it topped out facade, is topped by the tower’s chiller plant.
to some, but in fact it was essential to the in October 2014 at 1,396 feet (425.5 meters), Both retail developments were undertaken as
shape and ultimate survival of the project. 432 Park Avenue became the second-tallest part of the obligation under code to complete
building in New York City by roof height, the street wall, such that the mass and height
But some very clever design was necessary surpassing One World Trade Center by 28 feet of the tower, set further back in the block,
to make it work. (8.5 meters), as well as the tallest residential would not be overwhelming.
building in the Western Hemisphere.

Figure 1. View from southeast

CTBUH 2015 New York Conference  |  49

 performance venue, conference rooms
and children’s playroom. In-suite catering,
concierge, 24-hour doorman and valet
parking services are provided as well.

Interiors

Designed by Deborah Berke Partners, the

interiors of the building are focused on
offering uncompromised column-free
layouts. The gracious spaces blend modern
design with the grandeur of Park Avenue
pre-war residences, while emphasizing the
framing of the views in every room. The
“big story” of this building, and one of the
aspects that most heartily contributes to
its integrity, is that the strongest exterior
feature – the window grid – is also the
strongest interior feature. The 10-foot
(3-meter) square openings create a series of
small places within the large interiors of the
apartments, which can act as window seats
from which to observe the city, each with
a slightly different view. Most residences
feature private elevator landings and a
gracious entrance gallery, in addition to
oversized kitchens with center islands (see
Figure 2. Window
Figure 6).

Elegant touches, such as the 1,200-pound

(544-kg) solid cubic-marble vanity,
freestanding bathtubs, double master
bathrooms, and windowed marble breakfast
bars (see Figure 7) in the kitchens are
included. Oak flooring with herringbone
patterns nods to the classic Park Avenue
apartments of yesteryear. But even this is in
deference to the greatest interior feature of
the building – the stunning views over the
city. A relatively light touch is also taken in
common areas. The residential lobby has
limestone and wood paneling, redolent
with subtle elegance. The pool area is
faced in travertine, with a limited amount
of extraneous material that would distract
from the greatest feature – light streaming
in and hitting the water. Even though a
minimalist approach was selected for the
design, great care was taken to achieve the
Figure 3. Semicircular driveway
proper effect, including full-scale modeling
This move also had the effect of freeing up Comprising 30,000 square feet (2,787 square of window frames with calibrated views, the
program in the lower portions of the building, meters), these include three double-height lobby space and even elevator cab interiors.
which would not be afforded the sweeping floors, with ceilings up to 28 feet (8.5
views necessary to offer multi-million-dollar meters) beginning approximately 93 feet
units. The first residential floor is located at 341 (30.4 meters) above the ground. A full floor Structure
feet (103.9 meters above grade). After looking is dedicated to entertaining, with a lounge,
at a range of mixed uses, it was decided to private restaurant and adjacent outdoor This section on structure is provided in
devote the bottom quarter of the building, up terrace for dining and events. Above is a order to allow the paper to be digestible;
to the 29th floor, to retail, mechanical rooms, 75-foot (23-meter) indoor swimming pool it is not provided because “structure” is
building offices, staff housing, and the vast spa and fitness center (see Figure 4) with a separate subject – particularly at 432
array of amenities that would also be required sauna, steam, and massage rooms, library, Park Avenue. It is rare that structure and
to attract this segment of the market. lounge (see Figure 5), screening room and architecture are so deeply integrated in

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Figure 4. Fitness Center Figure 5. Lounge

a modern building; this is perhaps one

of the biggest contributors to the purity
and overall appeal of the 432 Park Avenue
design. The gridded window scheme, which
of course affords tremendous views in all
directions, also forms the exoskeleton of
the building, bearing the vertical loads,
such that no interior columns are required
between the elevator core’s shear walls
and the facade of the building. This means
that a full 30 feet (9 meters) of perimeter
all around the core is available to be
configured in any way the client would like.
For clients paying thousands of dollars per
square foot, this is an added incentive.
Figure 6. Kitchen
This also had implications in the vertical
dimension – a 15-foot,-6-inch (4.72-meter)
floor-to-floor height meant that there was a
cushion of 3 feet (762 mm) to accommodate
almost any kind of services deviation that
would be necessary to accommodate a
bespoke kitchen or bathroom design and
still maintain a 12-foot, 6-inch (3.81-meter)
finished ceiling height.

Though the exterior visual, interior layout,

and structural implications of a continuous
grid were evident, it was not desirable from
an aesthetic nor wind-resistance viewpoint
to simply layer each floor with six windows,
uninterrupted from bottom to top.

The taller and thinner a structure is, the

more susceptible it is to oscillations driven
by wind. Additionally, when buildings have
sharp, 90-degree corners, a phenomenon
of “vortex shedding” can develop, in which
rotating air masses develop on the leeward
side of the building, providing additional
suction force that can cause unpleasant
Figure 7. Kitchen breakfast bar

CTBUH 2015 New York Conference  |  51

Figure 8. Living Room Figure 9. Bedroom

accelerations. One major design move Although there is a great deal of science chandelier), and substituting the drone-
brought the building well into the zone involved, judging the real-life implications of photographed images of Manhattan for
of safety and comfort, while a subsequent wind forces in tall buildings actually requires the roiling ocean, the design team was
investigation provided additional more than just calculations. In the case of 432 able to provide a real sense of what an
assurances. Park Avenue, the team went to extra lengths 8- or 10-milli-g force actually feels like in
to determine how wind would affect the a building with large square windows.
As much as this building is about squares, building. A scale model of the building was The feedback from the “passengers” of
in one critical area curves play a vital role – subjected to numerous tests in a wind tunnel, the simulator actually resulted in several
though these will not be obvious to most which afforded an excess of comfort about adjustments to the interior design that
tenants or observers. If a continuously extruded safety. But the perception of movement is would compensate for the sensation of
square building was impractical, the architects almost entirely subjective, and it would clearly movement experienced as part of the
determined that stacking six independent be very important to occupiers of higher building’s sway, including the details of floor
buildings on top of each other, with two-story floors that the commanding views did not slabs as they met the window frames.
air gaps between, would not only allow wind to come with movements that would make
pass through and reduce loads on the building, them uncomfortable.
but would subtly break up the monotony of Feedback
the grid with interruptions at pleasing intervals. To simulate this experience, the team
The core remains solid from top to bottom, but turned to a different kind of virtual-reality 432 Park Avenue has won praise from highly
its walls are curved in plan, within the open-air laboratory, one that was built to train pilots esteemed colleagues, even before it is
grid made by the continuation of the facade. of large, ocean-going ships. The full-scale finished. Paul Goldberger wrote a wonderful
The viewer can discern that these interstitial “bridge” of the ship is placed on hydraulic article for Vanity Fair extolling the influences
floors, which contain mechanical equipment pistons that simulate the pitch and roll of this building. Charles Gwathmey, Richard
and little else, are somehow different, but not of the sea, while a 360-degree projection Meier, and other leading lights contributed
to the point that it distracts from the overall screen surrounds the enclosure. Replacing valuable commentary on the development
purity and discipline of the design. conventional ship instrumentation with team’s design decisions.
a furnished dining room (including a

Figure 10. View from Central Park Figure 11. Restaurant dining Room

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 The project team executed an international
public relations program that was carefully
calculated. They knew they were planning
a building that was going to be widely
reported in the media, and that it was either
going to be loved, or it was going to be
hated. There is no denying the building’s
purity, and it has a tremendous amount of
integrity to it. This inarguable logic seems to
have quieted any detractors.

Then, there is praise from the true

constituency of any skyscraper – from
citizens who are otherwise unaffiliated
with the project, who constantly send
in unsolicited photos. Even the website
Curbed.com ran a story featuring
photographs submitted by their readers
showing images of 432 Park taken from
New Jersey to JFK Airport, and everywhere
in between.

Conclusion
Figure 12. Bathroom

The 432 Park Avenue project has come to

life at an auspicious time for skyscrapers
in New York. In some ways it embodies
the “tall and thin” trend of new residential
towers. While it has those characteristics in
common with some of its peers, in many
other ways it is an outlier. The devotion
to quality, the design, engineering and
planning discipline, and the commitment
to achieving a highly flexible model that
still feels luxurious has resulted in an
outstanding contemporary project that will
stand the test of time.

Figure 13. View South towards One World Trade Center and The Empire State Building

Figure 14. View South during dusk

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