AT&T Building

550 Madison Ave., Sony Tower
Altered

AT&T Building

Credit

Roman Kruglov

Site overview

The AT&T Building, designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, is an icon of Postmodern architecture.  Completed in 1984, the pink granite 37-story building is famously known for its “Chippendale” split pediment at the top. Additionally, the building was known for the 110-foot central arched entrance with three 60-foot rectangular openings on each side and arcade spaces along West 55th and 56th Streets that created open public plazas.  The vertically banded windows add to the monumentality of the building.

AT&T Building

Credit

David Shankbone

Site overview

The AT&T Building, designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, is an icon of Postmodern architecture.  Completed in 1984, the pink granite 37-story building is famously known for its “Chippendale” split pediment at the top. Additionally, the building was known for the 110-foot central arched entrance with three 60-foot rectangular openings on each side and arcade spaces along West 55th and 56th Streets that created open public plazas.  The vertically banded windows add to the monumentality of the building.

AT&T Building

Credit

The City Review

Site overview

The AT&T Building, designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, is an icon of Postmodern architecture.  Completed in 1984, the pink granite 37-story building is famously known for its “Chippendale” split pediment at the top. Additionally, the building was known for the 110-foot central arched entrance with three 60-foot rectangular openings on each side and arcade spaces along West 55th and 56th Streets that created open public plazas.  The vertically banded windows add to the monumentality of the building.

AT&T Building

Credit

Pintrest

Site overview

The AT&T Building, designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, is an icon of Postmodern architecture.  Completed in 1984, the pink granite 37-story building is famously known for its “Chippendale” split pediment at the top. Additionally, the building was known for the 110-foot central arched entrance with three 60-foot rectangular openings on each side and arcade spaces along West 55th and 56th Streets that created open public plazas.  The vertically banded windows add to the monumentality of the building.

AT&T Building

Credit

Rory Hyde

Site overview

The AT&T Building, designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, is an icon of Postmodern architecture.  Completed in 1984, the pink granite 37-story building is famously known for its “Chippendale” split pediment at the top. Additionally, the building was known for the 110-foot central arched entrance with three 60-foot rectangular openings on each side and arcade spaces along West 55th and 56th Streets that created open public plazas.  The vertically banded windows add to the monumentality of the building.

AT&T Building

Credit

Rory Hyde

Site overview

The AT&T Building, designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, is an icon of Postmodern architecture.  Completed in 1984, the pink granite 37-story building is famously known for its “Chippendale” split pediment at the top. Additionally, the building was known for the 110-foot central arched entrance with three 60-foot rectangular openings on each side and arcade spaces along West 55th and 56th Streets that created open public plazas.  The vertically banded windows add to the monumentality of the building.

AT&T Building

Credit

Arch Daily

Site overview

The AT&T Building, designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, is an icon of Postmodern architecture.  Completed in 1984, the pink granite 37-story building is famously known for its “Chippendale” split pediment at the top. Additionally, the building was known for the 110-foot central arched entrance with three 60-foot rectangular openings on each side and arcade spaces along West 55th and 56th Streets that created open public plazas.  The vertically banded windows add to the monumentality of the building.

Primary classification

Commercial (COM)

Terms of protection

Designated an individual landmark by LPC on July 31, 2018. The designation applies applies to the exterior only.

Designations


Author(s)

Joseph Gravius | Intern | 1/31/2017

How to Visit

Exterior only. 

Location

AT&T Building

550 Madison Ave
New York, NY, 10022
Credit:

Roman Kruglov

Credit:

David Shankbone

Credit:

The City Review

Credit:

Pintrest

Credit:

Rory Hyde

Credit:

Rory Hyde

Credit:

Arch Daily

Designer(s)

Related News

Related chapter

New York/Tri State

Related Sites

Commission

1975

Completion

1984

Commission / Completion details

In 1975, AT&T invited 25 architects to compete for the commission of a new building.  In “Philip Johnson, Life and Work,” by Franz Schulze, he wrote that according to Burgee, he and Johnson did not answer to the competition, but before long were on a short list of three, eventually winning the commission. 

Others associated with Building/Site

Charles Gwathmey

Original Brief

In 1979, five years before the building was completed, Johnson appeared on the cover of Time Magazine holding a model of the planned skyscraper. The AT&T building would represent a shift in his architectural style, from Modern and less ornamentation to a Postmodern. This was also a turning point in American architecture style and trends.

Significant Alteration(s) with Date(s)

A 1992 proposal by Sony enclosed the arcade, reducing the public spaces from 14,102 to 3,542 square feet and replaced it with 6,050 square feet of private indoor showrooms for Sony products. The space was enclosed with multi-paned windows similar to the entrance. Sony said the public space was “dark, windy and noisy; hence it is underutilized as a place of public comfort and convenience and as an amenity for pedestrian circulation." The oculi openings were also blocked in this design. The passage at the rear of the building was also enclosed in glass. Gwathmey Siegel & Assocaites were the architects with Philip Johnson as a consultant. Construction took place from 1992-1994.

Current Use

Currently the building is empty with the exception of a restaurant on the ground floor.

Current Condition

Good

References

Dunlap, David W. "Plan Reduces Public Areas For a Tower." The New York Times. April 30, 1992. Accessed December 01, 2017. http://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/01/nyregion/plan-reduces-public-areas-for-a-tower.html.

 

GmbH, Emporis. "Emporis." , New York City | 115511 | EMPORIS. Accessed December 01, 2017. https://www.emporis.com/buildings/115511/sony-tower-new-york-city-ny-usa.

 

Gottlieb, Martin. "A.T.&T. PLANNING CHANGE IN PACT WITH CITY FOR MUSEUM AT TOWER." The New York Times. May 24, 1984. Accessed December 01, 2017. http://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/25/nyregion/at-t-planning-change-in-pact-with-city-for-museum-at-tower.html.

 

Horsley, Carter B. "The Sony Building." The Midtown Book - The Sony/ATT Building. Accessed December 01, 2017. http://www.thecityreview.com/sonyatt.html.

 

Langdon, David. "AD Classics: AT&T Building / Philip Johnson and John Burgee." ArchDaily. March 20, 2015. Accessed December 01, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/611169/ad-classics-at-and-t-building-philip-johnson-and-john-burgee.