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.
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