LASVIT designed dozens of unique glass and metal pieces for the world’s skinniest skyscraper
In its prime, great pianists used to meet at Steinway Hall on West 57th Street to practice together. Even legendary Rachmaninoff loved to play in this sanctuary for pianists, alongside the great virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz. Almost one hundred years after its first opening in 1925, the building got a breath of new life from several of New York’s top developers. LASVIT, the global leader in daring spacial and lighting experiences, provided this one-of-a-kind building with unique pieces designed and hand-crafted in Northern Bohemia, adding the shining final touches for the building which will once again host New York’s high society.
A duet of glass and metal
Developing such a grand vision for the property took a great deal of work. In a collaborative effort between JDS Development Group, Property Markets Group, and Spruce Capital Partners; SHoP Architects, who designed the exterior; and Studio Sofield architects taking on the interior architecture, 111 West 57th Street is a monument to impressive design. Studio Sofield created the concept with respect to the building’s history while bringing a contemporary twist, delicately tempering opulence with elegance.
Studio Sofield is famous for their ultra-luxurious residences and their frequent use of unusual materials. They chose LASVIT to accompany the interior with extraordinary lighting, as well as bespoke sculptures. Although LASVIT is most well-known for master glassworking, most of the pieces for 111 West 57th Street are made of metal combined with glass pieces.
“LASVIT has been working on this project from 2016 until now, and it was really unique for us due to the need for precise craftsmanship of the glass parts, but also of the hand-made metal pieces produced in a blacksmith’s workshop. It was one of the first projects where our work was conceived as an integral part of the architecture – handcrafted cornices in the forge, or wrought iron grilles that could only be produced after the building had been surveyed. The lobby’s centerpieces are two giant vases, which are nearly three meters tall and weigh more than one ton each,” says Pavel Koudelka, Partner and Managing Director responsible for LASVIT’s North American presence.
Throughout the building, there are over 30 different LASVIT lighting pieces, sculptures, and installations. The first pieces are placed at the portecochere, and are one of the first things seen when approaching the building.
The glass vases for the porte cochere are not only unique in their design, but also in their fine craftsmanship. Each vase contains metal palm leaves, and weighs around 880 pounds at almost 30 feet tall. The urns were created from several pieces of fused glass perfectly aligned together. LASVIT developed special technology to precisely grind the glass pieces. The two lamps in porte cochere echo the visual rhythm and the striking urns.
Creating the unique lamps placed in the vestibule and corridors was a challenging artistic experience, replicating lamps initially installed in the early 1920s. The craftsmen at LASVIT created these lamps based only on original photographs.
A rhapsody of light for a monument to music
The building also contains bespoke lighting installations by LASVIT Senior Designer Jana Růžičková. The South Oval features an installation created by LASVIT designer Dan Jacek, creator of many classic chandeliers, formed from a special blackened metal requested by the client.
“111 West 57th street was a collaboration where the client had a clear vision of the decorative art features with considerable respect to heritage. Mainly, my part was translating it into reality through my knowledge of glass and metal design and Lasvit's craftsmanship. It was a great learning experience and honor to work on this NYC landmark,” says Jana Růžičková, LASVIT Senior Designer.
The original Steinway building was an icon of New York City; the Steinway family commissioned Warren & Westmore, the minds behind Grand Central Terminal, to design their townhouse. Redesigning such a significant building with respect to its history was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and JDS Development stated“the design for 111 West 57th Street represents a commitment to the quality, history and craftsmanship behind New York City’s classic skyscrapers, while taking advantage of the latest in technology to push the limits of engineering and fabrication.”
LASVIT’s lighting and sculptures emphasize the interior design and accompany the true jewels of this space – the pianos. The building originally housed an iconic collection made by Steinway & Sons, and JDS Development now plans to fill the house with music once again.
With Carnegie Hall just across the street, the area just south of Central Park has been recognized as the nation’s leading center of culture and classical music, and Steinway Hall stands as a designated landmark and “a timeless monument to classical music and architecture.”
The 111 West 57th residential skyscraper is the second tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, reaching a whopping 1,428 feet, including a 300-foot decorative steel crown. It has a height-to-width ratio of 24:1, officially making 111 West 57th Street the skinniest skyscraper in the world.Residents needn’t worry that the building may blow over or snap during a storm, as the structure is made of the strongest concrete in the world, according to SHoP Architects.
