A skyscraper with a tiered masonry façade featuring sculpted wildflowers and wildlife of the surrounding Upper East Side neighbourhood is under construction in Manhattan, New York. Designed by Robert A M Stern Architects at 255 East 77, the tower acknowledges the rhythm of life, as mentioned by the team for the building’s website. The tower will be 152m high and 36 storeys, and it will contain 62 luxury condominiums and an amenity space.
The renderings of the building feature rectangular windows and punctuated by rows of double-height, arch-shaped windows. The classic masonry facade contains oak leaf motifs inspired by the once native species from nearby Central Park and Carl Schurz Park on the East River waterfront.
The building contains an indoor 70-foot swimming pool in a barrel-ceiled double-height space that centres the other amenities like a recording studio, sauna, yoga room, and a gym. The interiors feature white oak flooring and a white and oak color palette, which is also designed by RAMSA.
The overall design style of the project is modern classical, with elements of Venetian and Byzantine architecture. According to Curbed’s “Brick Buildings,” by Justin Davidson, the limestone high-rise evokes the Art Deco pile of Yore.
The design is inspired by nearby museums, historic clubs, and other grand structures. The facade and detailing are designed to outwardly reflect the grandeur of the interiors. The interiors also feature sculpted railings that complement the tree-lined greenery of the street. The porte cochere conceals an automated parking system and a landscaped garden for the residents. The residential units contain additional gardens, terraces, and loggias with skyline views that also provide natural light and ventilation to the units.
The skyscraper with its visual drama that invites the romance of New York into the structure is set to be completed in 2026.
- Online sources
Msn.com. (2025). MSN. [online] Available at: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/ramsa-new-york-skyscraper-to-feature-classical-details-for-life-today/ar-AA1DCIEM?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1 [Accessed 4 May 2025].
Davidson, J. (2025). The Return of Brick Buildings in New York City. [online] Curbed. Available at: https://www.curbed.com/article/brick-buildings-glass-terracotta-architecture-nyc.html [Accessed 4 May 2025].
Eberhardt, E. (2025). RAMSA New York skyscraper to feature classical details for ‘life today’. [online] Dezeen. Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2025/04/25/255-east-77-street-robert-a-m-stern-manhattan-skyscraper/ [Accessed 4 May 2025].
- Images/visual mediums
Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP. (2023). 200 East 83rd Street — Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP. [online] Available at: https://www.ramsa.com/projects/project/200-east-83rd-street [Accessed 4 May 2025].
