in progress: BIG’s west 57th tops out in manhattan

in progress: BIG’s west 57th tops out in manhattan
all images courtesy of field condition

while bjarke ingels group seems to stay quite busy with the design of its many forward looking endeavors (in past months: aarhus island, zootopia, and the spiraling audemars piguet pavilion), the office has recently reached a major construction milestone with the topping out of west 57th street, its first built work in new york. to be completed in 2015, the structure currently reveals its 32 floor slabs and rises to its final height of 450 feet (137 meters), while installation of the exterior cladding has begun at lower levels.

located along the west side highway facing the hudson river, the housing and retail project has been dubbed the ‘court-scraper’, based on its typological fusion of a european perimeter block and a traditional manhattan high rise. for more information and a full set of design images, see designboom’s initial article on W57 here.

cladding installation has begun on the lower levels

upon the building reaching topped out status, the construction-focused site field condition has documented the momentary state of west 57th’s full and structurally exposed form.

the building’s tall and vertical façades feature angled curtain-walls

the ‘court-scraper’ rises to a height of 450 feet (137 meters)

the structure currently exposes its 32 floor slabs

the ruled surface of the sloping façade will be punctured by apartment terraces

W57 will be BIG’s first realized building in new york