Controversial from the start this building stands tall. Welcome to 550 Madison Avenue. This skyscraper is more than just an office building. It is a statement of postmodern architecture. Designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee 550 Madison Avenue stands 647 feet tall with 37 stories. Its pink granite facade is iconic.
Completed in 1984 550 Madison Avenue was first the headquarters of AT&T Corp. Later it became Sony’s American headquarters. In the early 2020s a four-story granite annex was replaced with a shorter one. The building has undergone many changes.
Imagine stepping through the grand entrance arch. It faces Madison Avenue and is flanked by arcades. Originally a pedestrian atrium ran through the block. It connected 55th and 56th Streets. This atrium allowed the building to rise higher. Zoning codes were different then. Today a plaza occupies the space.
The design of 550 Madison Avenue has sparked debate since its announcement in 1978. AT&T intended it to replace their headquarters at 195 Broadway. After the Bell System breakup in 1982 AT&T spun off companies. They never fully occupied 550 Madison Avenue as planned. Sony leased the building in 1991. They renovated it extensively. Sony acquired the building in 2002.
In 2013 Sony sold 550 Madison Avenue to the Chetrit Group. They leased back offices for three years. The Olayan Group purchased it in 2016. They planned renovations. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated its exterior as a landmark in 2018.
The site itself has a history. Before development a stream ran through it. The AT&T Building replaced fifteen smaller structures. These included residences converted into stores. This part of Madison Avenue was a retail corridor. After World War II office buildings began to appear.
Johnson’s design was a return to classical motifs. He had previously designed the modernist Seagram Building. 550 Madison Avenue is considered one of Johnson and Burgee’s most influential works. Some call it the world’s first postmodern skyscraper.
The facade is clad in 60000 pieces of pink Stony Creek granite. It comes from a Connecticut quarry. The granite weighs up to 7000 pounds each. This facade reduced energy consumption compared to glass walls.
The main entrance features a large archway. It measures 116 feet high and 50 feet wide. Inside is a 70-foot arched window. A circular oculus tops it. Architectural writer Paul Goldberger saw influence from the Basilica of Sant’Andrea in Mantua. AT&T wanted the arch to convey dominance and dignity.
Originally an open-air arcade existed north and south of the archway. It extended to the atrium. The arcade was downsized for scale. Granite columns support the building’s steel frame. The arcade gained a reputation for being inhospitable. It was dark and windy. Renovations in the 1990s enclosed it.
The roof features a broken pediment. A circular opening extends across it. This opening contains vents for the HVAC system. Johnson said the vents would create steam puffs.
Inside the main lobby originally featured black-and-white marble. Walls were made of granite. The lobby’s ceiling was a groin vault. A renovation in the 2020s redesigned the lobby. It now has terrazzo leather and bronze mesh. A spherical blue sculpture hangs in the lobby.
The Spirit of Communication statue once stood in the lobby. It was moved to AT&T’s New Jersey facility in 1992. Elevators led to a sky lobby on the seventh floor. Security checkpoints were located there.
Between the tower and annex was an atrium. It was originally open-air. Sony enclosed it in the 1990s. A new garden was constructed in the atrium in the early 2020s. It includes a waterfall and seating areas. Poetry is inscribed on the pavers.
550 Madison Avenue’s design challenged architectural modernism. It legitimized the postmodern movement. Johnson described it as a symbolic shift. It moved away from the flat tops of International Style skyscrapers.
550 Madison Avenue has undergone many changes. It remains a significant architectural landmark. Its unique design continues to spark conversation.