The world’s skinniest skyscraper, designer by SHoP Architects, has been completed in New York.

The skyscraper stands at over 435 metres tall, making it the second-tallest building in New York City by roof height and the world’s skinniest tall building.

Located at 111 West 57th Street, the luxury residential tower is located on Billionaire’s Row, two blocks south of Central Park. It was designed to offer residents an almost perfectly symmetrical view of Central Park, while also maximising natural light and views of the historic Steinway Building.

skyscraper NYC Central park

Key design elements include the building's façade of glass and terracotta, as well as its reinforced concrete superstructure.

According to the architect, terracotta blocks of sequentially varying profiles were modelled, extruded, glazed and stacked into a pattern “like a softly breaking wave”. The staggering of these elements across the façade creates a moiré effect that changes dramatically based on light and angles.

The building, expected to make the first $100 million sale in NYC, has been described by the architect as a bold interpretation of what is possible inside the requirements of the Midtown Manhattan zoning envelope.

Photography by Hayes Davidson