The decision to choose who will be the designer of Park Avenue's next great tower is down to four finalist starchitects: Norman Foster, Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid, and Richard Rogers. Vishaan Chakrabarti of Columbia University's Center for Urban Real Estate and SHoP Architects is directing the competition for L&L Holding Company, which wants to rebuild the existing block-long pile of white brick and glass between 55th and 56th Street as an esteemed Park Avenue skyscraper to rival the Seagram Building and Lever House. According to The New York Times, the four architects and their firms were selected by David W. Levinson. Their plans for 425 Park Avenue were being laid out in a series of presentations that began yesterday and should conclude today.
The four starchitects' visions for the address will be made public (and we'll welcome your opinions in our comments), but Levinson doesn't give a crap what the public thinks about the entries. He's preparing to spend three-quarters of a billion dollars to build an iconic skyscraper. “It is a decision that is solely within our discretion." Those hoping for something truly unprecedented and exciting should dampen their expectations. Prior to the competition, Levinson told the four finalists not to let their egos and creativity get the best of them. He wants "restrained elegance." A final decision on who will be selected architect is expected this October.
· Four Leading Architects Compete for a Rare Park Avenue Site [NYT]
· Searching for The Next Seagram Building on Park Avenue [Curbed]
· 425 Park Avenue [Curbed]
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