Appearing
as a traditional skyscraper viewed through a broken
glass bottle, the LVMH Tower is one of the skyscrapers
that brings the 1990's bulge-and-bend style to New
York. The building certainly complements its original
owner, a Parisian maker of upscale cosmetics, perfumes,
luggage, champagne, and assorted baubles. Much like
a model on a runway, the LVMH Tower stands tall in
graceful style while making the dark slabs that surround
it look plain and boring by comparison. It has been
compared to a lily in an alley. And like a model,
it's more flash than reality. The building is only
23 stories tall, but makes use of its curving lines
and gentle setback to create forced perspective and
appear much taller. This illusion is enhanced by the
fact that the building's lot if only 60 feet by 100
feet.
A
narrow base creates a slim line for the eye to follow.
This is de rigeur in Europe, but a tight squeeze in
the States. The original drawings for this building
resembled a collection of perfume bottles. The design
was refined repeatedly to get the Gehry-esque form
we see today. But the voluptuous look isn't completely
form -- function plays a big role. The architects
discovered that if they curved the building backward
they could meet New York City's setback regulations.
But they were free to do whatever they wanted once
those rules were satisfied, including bulging the
building outward again. This way they were able to
comply with the letter of the law and still create
more space. That's why the building has a sort of
bust line between the 11th and 18th floors. The tower
uses two kinds of glass in its curtain. On the left
side is green glass with a pattern of dots. The right
side is clear glass with shadows traced in it. While
this is pretty, this building's jewel is in its crown.
Those in the know call it the "Magic Room." It's a
30-foot-high space encompassing the top two floors
of the tower. You actually arrive on the second floor
of this room and descend a grand stair to get to the
floor. It is here that the fashion shows and parties
are held to the delight of guests who marvel at the
view of Manhattan and New Jersey. However, what the
building boasts in style and opulence to the visitor
it takes away in usability and comfort to the people
who actually have to work there. The small lot size
makes space a premium. There isn't even room for a
separate freight elevator, and the ones that carry
the office staff are described as, "vertical coffins."
The unusual angles produce odd-shaped windows that
in some offices restrict light to the point of distraction.
The building is woefully undersized for the number
of businesses, offices, staffers, and support squad
who have to work there. Still, they can take comfort
in the building's fire suppression system. In the
event of flame, a cascading waterfall of water will
slide down the interior windows to keep the flames
from spreading from floor to floor.
- Gwyneth
Paltrow was the secret guest at the gala celebrating
the opening of the LVMH Tower. Then-First Lady Hillary
Clinton was also in attendance.
- There
is a 300-foot-tall shaft of neon that changes color
on the front of the building.
