Lipstick Building, Postmodern skyscraper on Third Avenue, Manhattan, United States
The Lipstick Building is an office tower on Third Avenue in Manhattan that rises through 34 stories to reach 133 meters in height. The elliptical structure of red granite and stainless steel narrows at two points, forming a stepped silhouette.
Philip Johnson and John Burgee designed the tower in 1986 as developer Gerald D. Hines's first construction in New York. The building went up during a period when postmodern architecture explored new forms beyond rectangular office towers.
The nickname comes from the red granite cladding and the slender profile that recalls an extended lipstick tube. Office workers today occupy floors within one of Manhattan's most recognizable business towers.
The building sits on Third Avenue between East 53rd and East 54th Streets, a short walk from several subway stations. From the sidewalk you can see the stepped profile and red granite walls, while the interior remains reserved for private offices.
The stepped setbacks above the 19th and 27th floors make the tower narrower as it rises. This three-part tapering emerged from zoning requirements but became a design feature.
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