277 Fifth Ave

Rafael Viñoly’s design for 277 Fifth Avenue’s new NoMad luxury condominiums embodies the combination of elegant proportions and refined engineering for which he is celebrated internationally.

Viñoly designed the tower with columns at the building’s perimeter to keep the interiors free from structural elements that might obstruct views and interrupt the layout of rooms. The perimeter columns establish a rhythm of alternating floor-to-ceiling vertical windows that frame views along multiple exposures and solid walls suitable for displaying art. One of the tower’s distinguishing architectural elements is a quartet of double-height, open-air loggias seemingly carved out of the building’s corners, spiraling downward around the building from the upper floors. Dramatically scaled and discernible on the skyline, the loggias are, as Viñoly describes them, “an interesting typology of open space and terracing that has not been seriously explored before.”

“The most important characteristic of any great building is that it’s well proportioned.” The columns touch down lightly outside the double-height lobby, revealing their subtle, handcrafted texture at street level. “We wanted to make a building that is timeless and that contributes to the ongoing transformation of Fifth Avenue—a unique and amazing promenade in the heart of New York City.” Assertively modern yet restrained, 277 Fifth Avenue adds a confident, contemporary presence to the historic streetscapes of NoMad—a new icon for one of the world’s most famous avenues. “This building belongs to Fifth Avenue.”