1080 5th Avenue

Constructed 2005-2007
Architect: Hillier Group; Principal in charge: Peter Schubert; Project Architect: Georg Windeck Structural Engineer: WSNY; Project Engineer: Wilfried Laufs

This project was the combination of several apartments in a building on 5th Ave into one residence. Key component was a staircase to connect the floors on the façade of the building within the setback portion of the top floors. The staircase is housed in an elliptical glass enclosure facing the Guggenheim Museum and Central Park. Its shape is defined by the curvature of most comfortable travel possible within the smallest space affordable, in order to minimize the zoning encroachment. The glass enclosure consists of curved load-bearing insulation glass that stands by itself without any metal support over the full height of two floors. It is the tallest structure of its kind that has been built to date.
 

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.