Paul Clemence latest photo essay brings him back to his hometown New York City. This time he is pointing his camera at the recently completed 520 Fifth Avenue, right in the heart of Manhattan.
Project Name: 520 Fifth Ave
Studio Name: Paul Clemence
The new 1,002-foot-tall mixed-use supertall skyscraper, designed by the architecture office of Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) for Rabina developing company, is now the tallest residential building and second tallest overall on Fifth Avenue.
The 88-story tower distinguishes itself by the its arches windows, a subtle nod to the classical architecture of the nearby Century Association.
“The arched windows theme, beyond being very photogenic, gives the structure a softer presence in th cityscape, in spite of its scale” , comments Clemence. “Today in Architecture there is such a focus on radical geometry and sculptural shapes that sometimes we forget that tapping into the classics can be a valid architecture reference and be as exciting in its own way”.
Commenting on the terracotta panels that clad the facades, Clemence says: “I am attracted to light, and those panels play off the Sun light in a beautiful way, making the architecture stand out even more amidst that mostly gray, brown surrounding environment”.
Having captured most of Manhattans iconic structures, new and old, from Grand Central to the Guggenheim Museum and BIG’s The Spiral , Clemence says he is always on the lookout for a new “architecture muse”, with eyes wide open and often looking up.
“That’s the joy of living in this city: you and the camera are never bored, there is always something to discover, and of course, photograph.”
