Page 156 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New York City

154  NE W Y ORK CIT Y AREA B Y AREA

7 Ford Foundation 9 1 and 2 United
Building Nations Plaza
320 E 43rd St. Map 9 B1. q 42nd Map 13 B5. q 42nd
St-Grand Central. St-Grand Central. @
M15, M42, M50.
Built in 1968, this building was
designed by architect Kevin These two great
Roche, and featured the first of columns of blue-
the atria, now common across green mirrored glass
Manhattan. The structure stands are set at an angle to
as one of the most unique each other; the play of light
spaces in New York, embodied and reflec tions on their
by pink-and-brown granite, and gleaming sides and sloping
weathered steel. The atrium setbacks make them seem a
resembles an enormous green- giant, ever-changing work
house, supported by towering of modern art. The marble
columns of granite. A and mirrored interiors
subtropical garden of its own, are also stunning. They
the atrium transforms with the house streamlined
seasons – it was one of the first modern offices and,
attempts at a natural environ- in No. 1, the ONE
ment within a building. It is UN New York
fringed by two walls of offices Hotel. Here,
that are visible through glass Performance at the Japan Society the guest list frequently
windows, and yet the enclave includes many UN delegates
is incredibly tranquil. The din Building straddling the busy from all over the world as well
of 42nd Street disappears, and traffic flow beneath. There is as a number of visiting heads
all that remains is the echo of just one flaw – the monolithic of state. Even the stresses of
voices, the murmur of fountains, MetLife Building (which was international diplomacy must
and the sound of shoes on built by Pan Am as its corporate ease when one is floating lazily
brick walkways. headquarters in 1963) towers in the glassed-in swimming
behind it, replacing the pool, enjoying the bird’s-eye
building’s former backdrop, views of the city and the United
the sky. Nations itself.
Built by Warren & Wetmore
in 1929, the Helmsley Building
was originally the headquarters 0 United Nations
of the New York Central Rail road See pp156–9.
Company. Its namesake, the
late Harry Helmsley, was a
billionaire who began his
career as a New York office q Japan Society
boy for $12 per week. His 333 E 47th St. Map 13 B5.
wife Leona, who died in 2007, Tel (212) 832-1155. q 42nd St-Grand
was a prominent feature in Central. @ M15, M50. Gallery:
all the advertise ments for Open Oct–Jun: 11am–6pm Tue–Thu,
their hotel chain – until her 11am–9pm Fri, 11am–5pm Sat & Sun.
imprisonment in 1989 for tax ^ 7 8 ∑ japansociety.org
evasion on a grand scale. Many
Stairway to the captivating Ford observers believe that the The headquarters of the Japan
Foundation Building extravagant glitter of the Society, founded in 1907 to
building’s face-lift was due foster understanding and
to Leona’s overblown cultural exchange
8 Helmsley taste in decor. between Japan
Building and the US,
was built with
230 Park Ave. Map 13 A5.
q 42nd St-Grand Central.
Open office hours.
One of the great New York
views looks south down Park
Avenue to the Helmsley Roman gods reclining against the Helmsley Building clock

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