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The Steinway building, located in the heart of New York City, has given Manhattan a new look from above.
Upon completion, the Steinway Tower's actual height was 435 meters, while its width was 18,125 meters, a perfect 1:24 scale. At this height, it is also one of the tallest buildings in New York. Construction began in 2013 at a cost of approximately $2 billion, and the contractors called the Steinway Tower "a project of extraordinary and magnificent proportions."
The Steinway Tower is the world's thinnest high-rise building.
The Steinway Tower, with its 84 floors, was designed by the New York-based architectural firm SHoP Architects and is famous for being the "world's thinnest skyscraper." Furthermore, this skyscraper is located on what is known as "Billionaire's Street," where many famous billionaires, such as Ken Griffin and Michael Dell, own apartments worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Gregg Pasquarelli, founder of SHoP Architects, said: "Anything with a ratio of 1:10 or more is considered a thin building; a ratio of 1:15 or more would be considered unusual and extremely difficult to achieve. The world's thinnest buildings are mostly concentrated in Hong Kong (China), with ratios of around 1:17 or 1:18."
The ultra-thin skyscrapers, also known as pencil towers, were a popular style in Hong Kong in the 1970s. Many other major cities, such as New York, have followed this trend to this day. Architects say their main goal was to create a bold new image for the New York landscape while celebrating the city's historical roots.
The Steinway Tower has an unusual width-to-height ratio of 1:24.
The Steinway Tower has 60 apartments priced from $18 million to $66 million each, offering 360-degree city views. Located south of Central Park, along a section of 57th Street in Manhattan, known as "billionaire's street," the tower stands at 435 meters tall, making it the second tallest residential tower in the Western Hemisphere, behind the nearby Central Park Tower at 470 meters. The world's tallest tower is the Burj Khalifa (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) at 828 meters.
The Steinway Tower at the top is so thin that whenever the wind picks up, the luxury apartments on the upper floors sway several meters. According to Pasquarelli, every skyscraper has to sway. If the building is too rigid, it's actually more dangerous; there has to be some flexibility.
To prevent the tower from swaying too violently, the architects created counterweights using adjustable steel plates. While the exterior features reflective glass, the tower also includes a copper and terracotta facade with a textured surface that creates wind turbulence to slow the building's swinging rate. Approximately 200 layers of stone anchors were also placed 30 meters deep into the underlying foundation to create a deep footing.
Inspired by the historic building of the same name, a landmark of the Art Deco movement in New York in the early 20th century, the ultra-slim Steinway tower boasts 84 floors.
While the walls facing Central Park to the north and Lower Manhattan to the south are made of high-grade tempered glass, the interiors of each apartment are designed by Studio Sofield. Additionally, each apartment in the building features a 25-meter swimming pool, as well as other luxurious amenities including a private dining room and a recreational gym...
The ultra-slim Steinway Tower today is inspired by the original building of the same name, a landmark of the Art Deco movement in New York in the early 20th century. The tower's surface is designed with numerous terracotta blocks that change color and pattern depending on the lighting and angle. The building features a three-story penthouse with views of Central Park.
Steinway Tower has a long history, as the same location was previously occupied by Steinway Hall, built in 1924. JDS Development and Property Markets acquired the building in 2013.
"What I hope is that in 50 years, you'll know New York for the Steinway Tower. I hope it will have a special place in the hearts of all New Yorkers in the future," Pasquarelli added.
