Lipstick Building
A 138-meter-high skyscraper, also known as 53rd at Third, is located at Third Avenue and East 53rd Street. The thirty-four-story building, completed in 1986, was designed by John Burgee Architects in collaboration with Philip Johnson. This skyscraper is Johnson's second postmodern contribution to the Manhattan skyline. The first is the two-year-older AT&T headquarters. The unusual shape, which later gave the building its name, was requested directly by the builder. He desired something that would stand out in form and compensate for the less lucrative site on Third Avenue. The name Lipstick was given to the building due to its shape and the red-colored granite façade.
The skyscraper consists of three parts, which jump back according to building regulations, allowing light to penetrate more into the streets of Manhattan. Compared to its surroundings, the skyscraper has a very unusual shape. Additionally, in the ground floor it occupies less space than traditional high-rise buildings with a square footprint. This provides more space for pedestrians moving along Third Avenue. The elliptical footprint, unlike the classic square shape, allowed for the creation of "corner" offices with interesting views around much of the exterior.
The ground floor of the building is lined with a series of columns rising over two stories. These columns create a representative entrance to the expansive hall while clearly separating the street from the nine-meter-high postmodern foyer. Because the elevator shafts and emergency staircases are located at the back of the building, the entrance hall could remain "empty," allowing visitors to fully enjoy its grandeur.
The outer shell of the building is made of red granite and steel. Bands of windows are set into gray frames. Between each floor is a thin strip of granite that gives the building the overall hue of red "lipstick." The curvature of the building allows light to reflect off its surface in various directions.
Philip Johnson reportedly stated about the Lipstick Building that the oval shape and colonnade at the ground floor are a reminiscence of Italian Baroque architecture.
The skyscraper consists of three parts, which jump back according to building regulations, allowing light to penetrate more into the streets of Manhattan. Compared to its surroundings, the skyscraper has a very unusual shape. Additionally, in the ground floor it occupies less space than traditional high-rise buildings with a square footprint. This provides more space for pedestrians moving along Third Avenue. The elliptical footprint, unlike the classic square shape, allowed for the creation of "corner" offices with interesting views around much of the exterior.
The ground floor of the building is lined with a series of columns rising over two stories. These columns create a representative entrance to the expansive hall while clearly separating the street from the nine-meter-high postmodern foyer. Because the elevator shafts and emergency staircases are located at the back of the building, the entrance hall could remain "empty," allowing visitors to fully enjoy its grandeur.
The outer shell of the building is made of red granite and steel. Bands of windows are set into gray frames. Between each floor is a thin strip of granite that gives the building the overall hue of red "lipstick." The curvature of the building allows light to reflect off its surface in various directions.
Philip Johnson reportedly stated about the Lipstick Building that the oval shape and colonnade at the ground floor are a reminiscence of Italian Baroque architecture.
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