Following four years of construction, Foster + Partners' massive US$4 bn 50 Hudson Yards is now finally complete. The supertall skyscraper takes up the footprint of an entire city block in Manhattan, New York City, and reaches a height of 308 m (1,011 ft).
50 Hudson Yards was first unveiled back in 2016 and is the latest high-profile skyscraper to join Manhattan's Hudson Yards mega-development, alongside projects like the Vessel and Edge viewing points, as well as the superb Shed.
The chunky skyscraper is envisioned as three rectangular blocks stacked on top of each other, with a glass exterior and white stone detailing. Its design is meant to reference the NYC city grid and complement the surrounding towers throughout Manhattan. Structurally, it consists of over 117,200 cubic yards (roughly 3,164,400 cubic ft/89,605 cubic m) of concrete, over 11,000 glass panels, and more than 26,800 tons of structural steel.
Its interior is spread over 78 floors, most of which are taken up by 3 million sq ft (roughly 280,000 sq m) of office space. This is designed to be largely column-free, maximizing floor space and flexibility inside. Big-name tenants like Facebook's parent company Meta, as well as McDonald's and BlackRock, will each get their own private elevator. Closer to the ground are restaurants and retail space, while its lobby areas are enlivened by a large feature staircase and works of art by renowned American minimalist painter Frank Stella.
"Movement through the building is intuitive and efficient, with dedicated lobbies and private elevators for anchor tenants," explained Foster + Partners. "Visitors enter the tower through the activated street edges and traverse through the building from north to south. The design utilizes conventional, double-decker and twin elevators for the first time in a New York commercial office building. Floor-to-ceiling glazing and generous ceiling heights allow natural light to flood the office spaces, enhancing employee well-being. "
While we can't really refer to this giant concrete, steel and glass skyscraper as being green, it has received the LEED Gold green building standard for its sustainability features. The steel frame and glass exterior make use of recycled materials, construction recycling programs were used to ensure minimal materials went to landfill, and water-saving fixtures are installed in all bathrooms. Additionally, it offers excellent links to bicycle paths and public transport, including direct access to an adjacent subway station.
