Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Seagram Building
The first New York building
by Mies van der Rohe is this land-
mark “glass box” with slender
bands of bronze amid walls of
smoked glass rising from the
horizontal open plaza. The mate-
rials in the glass-walled lobby
by Philip Johnson help blur the
division between indoor and
outdoor space.
The Four
Seasons Res-
taurant, offering
American cui-
sine, lies within.
d
375 Park Avenue,
between 52nd &
53rd sts
•
Map J4
•
Open during office
hours
•
Free
The Winter Garden, World Financial Center
World Wide Plaza
The copper roof and crown
of frosted glass atop a 48-story
tower by Skidmore, Owings &
Merrill bring some traditional
romance to a 1989 Postmodern
building. There is a wraparound
arcade that acts as another
entrance. The building of the
World Wide Plaza complex, which
includes two apartment buildings
and a large open plaza, transform-
ed a decaying neighborhood.
d
Between 8th & 9th avs and 49th &
50th
sts
•
Map J2
Citigroup Center
Citigroup Center
The 59-story Citigroup Center,
built in 1978, was New York's
first Postmodern skyscraper. The
rakish, triangular top never served
its original purpose as a solar
panel, but it did make the build-
ing instantly recognizable. An
open base on four tall columns
and a reflective aluminum-and-
glass exterior give the building
an airy quality despite its huge
size.
d
153 East 53rd Street at Lexing-
ton Av
•
Map J4
•
Closed to public
WEST 57TH STREET
EAST 57TH STREET
6 8
2
0
7
3
1
4
World Financial Center
Cesar Pelli's Postmodern
complex, comprising four tall
towers around a glorious
palm-filled Winter Garden,
gave the city an elegant
business center when it was
completed in 1985. In addition,
there are public spaces for
concerts and special events
and an outdoor plaza on the
water complete with boat
marina and Statue of Liberty
views
(see p74)
.
WEST 14TH STREET
EAST 14TH
STREET
STRE
5
9
1
miles
0
km
1
For more on New York's Architecture
See pp46-7
45
