One of the symbols of New York and even America, Central Park is a green paradise in the middle of the city. The green area between tall buildings and streets is one of the favorite haunts of both New Yorkers and visitors from all over the world. An average of 25 million people visit this park every year, full of various flora and fauna.
Foundation of Central Park
Located in the Manhattan district of New York City, Central Park is a social space that covers 3382 acres. The park is an artificially created green area containing some of the most valuable land in the region. The area where Central Park is located was a dirty place that caused swamps and disease in the past. In 1857, a design competition was held. Among the plans, one developed by Frederick Law Olmsted and his associate Calvert Vaux took first place. The park was officially opened in 1876.
Central Park is the world’s first landscape project organized around nature. With this work, the concept of landscape architecture was introduced to the world. Hence, landscape architecture was born with Central Park and Olmsted was recognized as its father.
What is in Central Park?
Central Park is not just an area that consists of green spaces and artificial ponds. It includes an open-air theater, museum, zoo, ice rink, playground, 51 statues, 36 bridges and arches, 3 obelisks, 1 castle, 3 artificial ponds, 132 fountains, and about 9,000 benches. The 800m wide, 4km long park is home to 120 different plant species, over 26,000 trees, 215 bird species and 130 animal species.
The Obelisk (Cleopatra’s Needle) is the oldest historical monument in Central Park. This historic piece was brought to the park in 1881. It was built for the Sun Temple at Heliopolis before Christ. The obelisk is 21 meters high and weighs 200 tons.
Activities You Can Do in Central Park
There are many activities you can do in the park. You can sunbathe, read a book, ride a bike, and enjoy the day. Apart from this, the park hosts many colorful festivals.
Built on Vista Rock, Belvedere Castle is one of the most important and striking structures in the park. You can get a great panoramic view of the park from the palace. Central Park Zoo and Wildlife Center, Bethesda Terrace, Delcart Theater, Great Lawn, Strawberry Fields and Shakespeare Garden are other important areas of the park.
Central Park Tower
Central Park Tower is the tallest residential building in the world and the 13th tallest building overall, located on 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It stands 1,550 feet (470 meters) tall and was designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, an international leader in high-performance, energy-efficient and architecturally stunning designs.
The construction of the building is carried out by Extell Development Company and Shanghai Municipal Investment Group. The facade of the Central Park Tower was designed by James Carpenter Design Associates and the Permasteelisa Group. In total, the Central Park Tower cost $3 billion to build. Due to the slender proportions of the building’s design, it is considered one of New York’s new ‘pencil towers’ architecture.
Excavation for the construction of the building began in May 2014 and 80 feet (24 m) deep foundations were dug. In July 2014, the new design of the tower was revealed, with a height of 1,479 feet (451 meters), while a minaret was also to be built, bringing the total height to 1,775 feet (541 meters).
After about a year of excavation, the concrete foundation was poured, starting the construction process in February 2015. In April 2015, the height of the building, excluding the minaret, was increased to 1,530 feet. However, several months later, the final height of the building was shown, abandoning the intention to build a minaret and increasing the height to 1,550 feet (470 m). At the same time, the building named ‘Central Park Tower’ was unveiled.
During the construction of the building, several incidents and controversies took place. The construction work of this building was completed last year, since then its finishing work is going on and very soon the residents will be able to occupy it. Interior design firm Rotate Studio has created a very sophisticated interior with a unique and elegant style. Central Park Tower has a total of 131 floors, of which 98 floors are residential. The highest residence of this building is at a height of 1,417 feet (432 meters).
The residential portion of the tower has 179 homes that range from two to eight bedrooms and range in size from 1,435 square feet to 17,500 square feet. These residences start from the 32nd floor. Extell Development Company has built a beam (ceiling) spanning 28 feet (8.5 m) on the east side of the tower. A weight system is arranged on top of the building to counter the wind and keep it balanced.
The facade of the building uses glass and stainless steel, which makes its striking exterior features attract people. According to the design firm, the protective layer of glass is intended to help the tower fit into the skyline. The lower exterior of the building facing 57th and 58th Streets is glass, and the glass is arranged in upright panels that That are insulated and laminated.
The total surface area of these glass panels is 52,700 square feet. These panels are enclosed in aluminum frames enclosed by steel plates and fitted between concrete floor slabs on each floor. The exterior walls of the upper floors are mostly covered with aluminum and glass. It is divided vertically by stainless steel. The arch spaces between each floor of the building are also covered with stainless steel. According to Permasteelisa Group, 610,300 square feet of glass curtain wall has been used in the upper floors.
Recently, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) awarded Central Park Tower with the ‘2021 Best Performance’ award in the category of best buildings 400 meters or more. This residential building offers its residents a panoramic view of Central Park and the surrounding high-rises, thoughtfully designed layout and stunning architecture. The structural elements of the building are located between residential units, resulting in residents being provided with amenities such as large screens, floor-to-ceiling glass, unobstructed exterior views, attractive floors and high ceilings.
Master bathrooms feature both dark and light schemes and use imported stone and premium fittings and fixtures. Additional amenities that will be provided for residents include an outdoor terrace with swimming pool, screening room, residents’ lounge, state-of-the-art gym, training room, squash/basketball court, spa treatment room and more.
On the lower five floors and two basement floors of the building, a famous brand store has been built on an area of about 3 lakh 20 thousand square feet, which was inaugurated in 2019. A separate route has been made for residents to enter the store.
