400 Fifth Avenue, Langley Place

The swan song of Gwathmey Siegel, 400 Fifth Avenue, also known as Langham Place, is so far the best building of the 21st Century on Fifth Avenue. Replacing a collection of Beaux Arts commercial buildings, 400 Fifth Avenue is a rare triumph of PostModernism – a building that neither apes nor mocks the past yet stands firmly within the setback skyscraper tradition as developed in New York. The limestone cladding and serrated window strips provide a dramatic visual balance cladding while the beautifully rounded corner commands the intersection.  An illuminated crown provides a satisfying sense of spectacle.

At 60 stories, 400 Fifth Avenue is the tallest new building on the avenue since the completion of 425 Fifth Avenue a few blocks to the north and is the 71st tallest building in New York City.

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