The skyscraper at 550 Madison Avenue, Philip Johnson and John Burgee’s wonderfully weird postmodern gem dating to 1984 and once known as the Sony Tower, can now be experienced by all New Yorkers, thanks to the creation of a new public garden, designed by Snøhetta. The landmarked building has been renovated and transformed into an epic office tower by investment firm Olayan Group, featuring a redesigned lobby, overseen by Snøhetta and Gensler, and an incredible amenity floor designed by Rockwell Group. The architectural garden itself, which occupies a previously enclosed mid-block passageway, adds half an acre’s worth of new green space that's been propagated with local trees, bulbs, plants and shrubs to provide a respite for tenants and the surrounding community alike.
The 550 Madison garden
Covered by a dramatic glass canopy that also captures rainwater to irrigate the garden naturally, the new public park also boasts a water feature, heated benches and plenty of seating for passers-by to take a breather. It is beautifully framed by a soaring new 65ft arched window in the building’s lobby, where a dramatic mix of terrazzo flooring and marble panels is made all the more awesome by the fact that they surround a monumental, site-specific artwork by Alicja Kwade (whose Au cours des mondes, 2022, took over Place Vendôme in Paris this autumn during Paris+ par Art Basel). Kwade’s work, titled Solid Sky, is a 24-ton sphere of blue Azul do Macaubas quartzite, suspended by stainless steel chains from the vaulted, triple-height ceiling. It’s a glorious reference to the building’s iconic Chippendale curved roof pediment – a circular cut-out that frames the sky, which inadvertently inspired Kwade’s choice to use a blue stone for the piece.
The 550 Madison amenities
The homage to the building’s former life continues on the newly constructed amenity levels, where almost 30,000 sq ft of real estate has been dedicated to redefining what being at work can and should mean. Rockwell Group has designed the building’s club level, just one level above the building lobby, with multiple social gathering spaces.
In the Grand Hall – which is flanked by Philip Johnson’s original rose-window oculus and a pair of Dorothea Rockburne murals – an oversized, constellation-like chandelier, a communal interlocking table and custom-designed sofas, side tables and lounge chairs create a space that easily transitions from day to night. In the café, scalloped mesh walls and a European walnut canopy create warmth and intimacy perfect for dining.
There is a large variety of more private meeting spaces, from four smaller meeting rooms, including one with a pool table, to a library, a hearth room, and a screening room, which can be cordoned off according to the size of the group. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and digital canvases, which project specially commissioned artwork from Lab at Rockwell Group, these are a far cry from your typical conference rooms.
-
Seiko brings back the digital watches loved by astronauts in the 1980sThe new Seiko Rotocall watches draws inspiration from the Seiko 'Astronaut' – a watch worn on 160 space missions
-
Explore Hiroshima through the eyes of those who rebuilt itJapan’s architectural phoenix continues to rise. ‘The Hiroshima Architecture Exhibition 2025’ explores a legacy of memory and modernism across 23 architects and artist groups
-
At Design Miami Paris, an artful menagerie tells a story of scent and natureVikram Goyal and Sissel Tolaas present ‘The Soul Garden’ at Design Miami Paris (until 26 October 2025), ‘a contemporary fable where the animals take new forms, reimagined for the world we live in today’
-
‘It’s really the workplace of the future’: inside JPMorganChase’s new Foster + Partners-designed HQThe bronze-clad skyscraper at 270 Park Avenue is filled with imaginative engineering and amenities alike. Here’s a look inside
-
Explore Tom Kundig’s unusual houses, from studios on wheels to cabins slotted into bouldersThe American architect’s entire residential portfolio is the subject of a comprehensive new book, ‘Tom Kundig: Complete Houses’
-
Ballman Khaplova creates a light-filled artist’s studio in upstate New YorkThis modest artist’s studio provides a creative with an atelier and office in the grounds of an old farmhouse, embedding her practice in the surrounding landscape
-
The most important works of modernist landscape architecture in the USModernist landscapes quite literally grew alongside the modern architecture movement. Field specialist and advocate Charles A. Birnbaum takes us on a tour of some of the finest examples
-
Jeanne Gang’s single malt whisky decanter offers a balance ‘between utility and beauty’The architect’s whisky decanter, 'Artistry in Oak', brings a sculptural dimension to Gordon & MacPhail's single malt
-
This perfectly cubed house sits atop a hill in Hudson ValleyForma’s ‘House on a Hill’ resembled a black wooden box – all straight lines and sharp angles against the rolling backdrop of New York State
-
An idyllic slice of midcentury design, the 1954 Norton House has gone on the marketNorton House in Pasadena, carefully crafted around its sloping site by Buff, Straub & Hensman, embodies the Californian ideal of the suburban modern house embedded within a private landscape
-
Herzog & de Meuron and Piet Oudolf unveil Calder Gardens in PhiladelphiaThe new cultural landmark presents Alexander Calder’s work in dialogue with nature and architecture, alongside the release of Jacques Herzog’s 'Sketches & Notes'. Ellie Stathaki interviews Herzog about the project.
