ATMOSPHERIC VEIL, Manhattan I NYC

Metals in Construction Design Challenge 2020 Runner-Ups

Type: Competition
Client: Metals in Construction Design Challenge 2020
Program: Office Building
Location: 63 Madison Avenue, NY
Area: 675,986 sq ft
Calendar: Winner 2020
Role: Re-A.D as Design Architect

Atmospheric Veil reimagines the façade of 63 Madison Avenue, a 675,986 sq. ft. office tower, to boost efficiency, connect the interior with the street, and create semi-outdoor workspaces. The design emphasizes reuse of the existing structure and introduces ETFE air membranes for low-carbon performance and major energy savings.

Midtown’s harsh microclimate — cold canyon winds in winter, heat islands in summer, constant noise — drives energy use and stress. The proposal buffers these extremes by extending the double-skin façade concept to the entire volume, forming a vegetated in-between space that tempers climate, fosters social interaction, and shields from overstimulation. The design works within the gap between the building’s concrete mass and offset carved volumes, creating a performative envelope.