This is the lobby of 570 Lexington Avenue, originally the RCA Building and later the GE building, one of the world’s finest Art Deco masterpieces. This small but exquisite and elegant lobby is one of my favorites in NYC – vaulted silver and terracotta ceilings, terrazzo floors, polished marble walls with mosaic wave frieze, reliefs of swords and electric bolts, lamps with aquamarine glass, and ornate nickel silver sconces. I love the elevators with the motifs above each – I understand that the elevator cabs inside are rosewood-paneled.

The subtle lighting gives the lobby’s atmosphere a warm and wonderful feeling. I stop in anytime I am nearby. I recommend that you do also if you are in the neighborhood…

The Hearst Tower (at Eighth Avenue and 57th Street) is world headquarters for the Hearst Corporation, a media conglomerate – they own newspapers, magazines and television networks. Architecturally, this building is notable for a number of reasons – the most obvious is its triangulated glass and faceted corners (or diagrid). The building was originally designed in 1927 as a six-story Art Deco structure (the Hearst Magazine Building) with limestone facade to house the magazines that William Randolph Hearst owned at the time. There were plans to add a tower, however, this did not come to fruition until May 2006, when the 42-story tower (designed by renowned architect Norman Foster) was added to the original limestone base.

Note that the main entrance is flanked by statues: Comedy and Tragedy on the left and Music and Art on the right. Another distinguishing aspect of the new tower is its designation as a green building – built from recycled materials, operates with reduced energy requirements, is naturally ventilated, etc. For more photos, inside and out, check out this photo gallery.

Certainly The Donald (Trump) does not need anymore promotion – he’s done quite well, especially with his hit TV series, The Apprentice. From 1995 to 1997, he converted the former Gulf and Western Building, built in 1970. This previous building was rather unsuccessful with problems, one of which was its tendency to sway excessively on windy days (some occupants actually became seasick). Rather than rebuild from scratch (with zoning restrictions), Trump stripped the building to its steel skeleton and built the Trump International Tower and Hotel, shown in the photo (combination hotel and condominium), with its glitzy entrance and shiny accents (of course). See a 1994 NY Times article here.

The address can’t be beat: One Central Park West, at Columbus Circle with views overlooking Central Park. The steel globe was designed by Kim Brandell. Trump’s presence permeates NYC, so for those who don’t relish his style, I must warn you – I don’t think he’ll be fired anytime soon 🙂

Public art is a great way to beautify our world and at the same time expose people to art who may not otherwise make an effort to see any. And when a work is somewhat unusual or provocative, it can draw people into the world of art/sculpture/architecture by stimulating discussions (e.g. the I.M. Pei pyramid at the Louvre in Paris).

The sculpture in the photo, Asaf and Yo’ah, is at the Time Warner center (click here for a side view of the work). The artist, Boaz Vaadia, is Israeli-born, and his works can be seen in art museums, galleries, and public spaces around the world. Much of the his work is done in bluestone trucked in from quarries in upstate New York. Check out his website, which also features tours of his studio in Brooklyn, NY…