-
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
- Year: 2015
-
Photographs:Albert Vecerka/ESTO
-
Manufacturers: Kuraray, Beaubois, Decor Walther, Fantini, VALVO
Text description provided by the architects. Baccarat Hotel & Residences is a 605-foot-tall, mixed-use building located on 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenue in New York City. SOM was tasked with designing a destination that embodied the elegance and artistry of Baccarat, the luxury crystal brand founded by King Louis XV more than 250 years ago. Like a honed piece of exquisite glassware, the tower distinguishes itself within its surroundings through its formal restraint and focus on detail.
From the exterior, Baccarat Hotel & Residences is a study in contrast. The tower’s east and west elevations—the main structural components of the tower—are sheathed in faceted, jet black aluminum panels, referencing the austerity and minimalism of its neighbor, Edward Durell Stone’s landmark MoMA building. Like a geode, these solid, matte surfaces frame the dazzling, re ective north and south façades. Clad with crystal-clear glass, these surfaces evoke Baccarat’s long history of decorative arts. With varying light and sky conditions, these large glazed expanses appear organic and lively.
The play of light and material continues at ground level. The tower’s podium is composed of prismatic glass ns arranged in rhythmic, vertical con guration. Throughout the day, these ns re ect one another, creating a dynamic interplay of light and color. Three canopied bronze portals are cut into this surface, providing separate entrances to the residences, hotel, and restaurant. At night, illuminated from within, the podium glows like a chandelier. Within, the 50-story structure contains three distinct programmatic elements that are stacked vertically above one other: a public library, located on the ground oor and one level below, a 9-story luxury hotel within the tower’s podium, and condominiums above on oors 18-49.
Paris-based Gilles & Boissier designed the hotel’s 114 guestrooms and suites, and Ingrao Inc. served as the interior designer for the 60 residences. Rooms throughout Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York command outstanding views of Manhattan landmarks including Central Park and the Empire State Building. Beyond the aesthetic bene ts, the oor-to-ceiling glass provides abundant natural light, reducing the need for arti cial xtures. Both guests and residents have access to the Bar, Grand Salon, Chevalier Restuarant, and the rst Spa de La Mer, all located within the tower’s podium. Enrique Norten and TEN Arquitectos served as the designers for the reimagined 28,000 square-foot 53rd Street Library, a branch of the New York Public Library housed within Baccarat’s base. The library is accessed by its own entrance on the eastern corner of the building. Working with each of these designers, SOM has shaped a building that accommodates an incredibly diverse program while re ecting the exacting standards and attention to detail of Baccarat.
The distinctive black-and-glass tower introduces a new scale for the brand’s legacy of precious, handcrafted crystal work. Inspired by this illustrious history, SOM has designed a landmark building that allows Baccarat to shimmer at the scale of the city.
