New York City is famous for its unique architecture. Not only do many buildings show an innovative design, but feature also a thrilling combination of glass and stainless steel. So does the Manhattan Pyramid.
Combining Glass and Stainless Steel
In early 2016, an innovative design in stainless steel and glass emerged on the west side of Manhattan. The name of the building was Via 57 West and it was designed by the world-renowned architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group. This 467 feet tall structure was a first of its kind in the United States. The design was a hybrid form combining the European perimeter block with the traditional Manhattan style high-rise. However, New Yorkers now know this unique building as the Manhattan Pyramid. The reason for this pyramid design, with the sloped façade on the south side of the building, is to allow all rooms to have a view of the Hudson River.
The Manhattan Pyramid Challenge
One of the major challenges of designing the Manhattan Pyramid was how to clean the hundreds of windows on this sloped façade. Our customer, Enclos Corp, was tasked to meet this challenge. Together, we developed a custom stainless steel beam to make the window-washing track that would run the façade of the Manhattan Pyramid. So cleaning the windows beomes easier. The stainless steel alloy chosen for this project was austenitic stainless steel 316/L.
An Award-Winning Innovation
Not only the look of the Manhattan Pyramid is extraordinary, but also its structure. Via 57 West has a floor area of approximately 80,000 square meters, with high quality of the rooms. The design of the Manhattan Pyramid also supports social interconnection. Furthermore, the designers set great value on sustainability. All of these factors made winning the International Highrise Award as well as the CTBUH Tall Building Award in 2016 possible.
Today, Via 57 West is becoming an icon in New York City and a top tourist attraction.
Stainless Structurals is proud to be a part of the amazing Manhattan Pyramid project. Let our team assist you on your next innovative design dealing with stainless steel as well! Please give us a call or contact us for any of your Stainless Structural needs.
