8 Spruce Street, Postmodern skyscraper in Financial District, Manhattan, United States
8 Spruce Street rises 300 meters (984 feet) above Lower Manhattan and contains apartments and an elementary school across 76 floors. The facade consists of undulating stainless steel that changes appearance depending on light and viewing angle.
Planning began in the early 2000s and construction started in 2008. The building was completed in February 2011 and marked Frank Gehry's first residential high-rise in New York.
The tower houses a public school for 440 students in its lower floors, combining education and housing under one roof. This pairing of public school and private apartments reflects efforts to integrate multiple functions in densely built neighborhoods.
The building is clearly visible from surrounding streets and offers a good reference point in southern Manhattan. The undulating metal facade stands out particularly in sunlight and shifts throughout the day.
More than 10,500 custom-made stainless steel panels were manufactured in Japan and individually attached to the facade. Each panel has a slightly different shape and together with the others creates the undulating overall appearance of the exterior.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
