Snøhetta is leading the design of the transformation of the public realm and exterior renovations to 550 Madison, the signature postmodern landmark in Midtown Manhattan. Originally built in 1984 for single-tenant occupancy, the renovated tower and reimagined public space will renew this important landmark as a state-of-the-art, multi-tenant office tower, providing a sustainable model for historic and adaptive reuse for the needs of the contemporary workforce and ever-changing city. The design re-envisions the building’s public space as a generously expanded, densely vegetated garden. As a vibrant sensory retreat, its transformation draws upon the architectural heritage, the activity of the neighborhood, and the natural history of the region, offering the only publicly-accessible vegetated open space in the East Midtown District. As a privately-owned public space (POPS) that invites people to slow down, linger, and connect to one another and their surroundings, 550 Madison’s new garden embraces the powerful contemporary role POPS can play within the context of New York’s ever-changing urban fabric. - Snohetta