1271 Avenue of the Americas Recladding and Repositioning

This historically significant tower has benefited from the success of a sensitive and carefully considered program of restoration, modernization, and improvement.

The repositioning comprised five interdependent and parallel projects, of which facade replacement was the most significant. Incorporating low-E glazing and thermal breaks, the new cladding provides 50% more vision area while retaining the essential proportions of the original facade.

Overall building energy usage was reduced by more than 40%.

The leasing success of the project, which went from vacant upon the relocation of its primary tenant, to nearly full prior to completion of construction, speaks to the benefit to building owners, users, the public, and the planet of strategic interventions that preserve rather than demolish in order to meet the demands of the 21st-century workforce.

Designed as the Time & Life Building by Harrison & Abramovitz & Harris Architects and completed in 1959, 1271 Avenue of the Americas illustrates a typology of commercial buildings that embody the transformational ideas and technology of the postwar period of the twentieth century but are now underperforming and facing obsolescence.

The repositioning called for not only restoration and expansion of the landmarked lobby but replacement of the facade, improvement of the public plaza, modernization of elevators, and substantial upgrades to building systems.

Respecting the rhythm of the existing limestone piers, silver fins, and bronze mullions, the design maintains the architectural module of the original facade . . .

. . . while increasing the area of vision glass by more than 50 percent.

The design reverses the proportion of spandrel glass to vision glass.

The new unitized, thermally broken curtain wall features a double-glazed IGU with high-performance low-E coating, contributing to an energy savings of 28.5 percent over the code baseline and 41 percent over the existing building.

The transformation of the east plaza opens the building to the avenue and creates a more inviting, human-scaled public space, providing a new stepped landscape feature with seating, seasonal plantings, and five fountain pools.

The signature Copacabana paving pattern, recreated in a durable custom concrete, has been extended to the curb, forming a continuous and expansive public space.

With the strong support of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and other agencies, the lobby has been carefully restored and expanded.