To work in a garden of acacias, magnolias and eucalyptus, in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the United States, but sheltered from the noise and pollution; to sit behind a desk and be able to see what's going on outside, without having to give up the "daily show" of the life animating the workplace and the chaotic and lively city of New York – although these could easily be the requirements for a modern-day architecture competition, they actually were the design guidelines that Kevin Roche, the Irish architect who won the Pritzker Prize in 1982, and his partner, John Dinkeloo, followed to create the new Ford Foundation headquarters in Manhattan in the 1960s. The twelve-story building with planted terraces was described by Domus as an enormous greenhouse, "almost an air-conditioned park" (Domus 462, 1968). The two architects created an open, transparent, and inclusive workplace – an efficient calling card for the American foundation. When lightened up, the "office greenhouse" becomes a nocturnal show for passers-by. It enriches the street landscape and integrates the architecture and its inhabitants into the urban fabric, without ignoring it but rather contributing to its improvement.
To sit behind a desk and be able to see what's going on outside, without having to give up the "daily show" of the life animating the workplace and the chaotic and lively city of New York
The new Headquarters for the Ford Foundation in New York
From Domus 462, 1968.
The latest remarkable architecture in New York is the new Ford Foundation headquarters (inaugurated on 7 December 1967) in Manhattan, located at 321 East 42nd Street, and designed by Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo, former associates of Eero Saarinen. This building achieves a new kind of architectural volume in an already compromised urban space.
This volume incorporates within itself another (empty) volume, but is however in tune with the overall look and height of the neighboring buildings. The other two sides of the building, up to the tenth floor, are nothing but two enormous glass walls enclosing the central empty space, which is actually an extraordinary lush courtyard, an indoor garden, or rather an enormous greenhouse (since it is covered by a skylight), that is twelve stories high and develops itself on different levels. It is almost an air-conditioned park, sheltered from the wind, rain, and the seasons, a fresh daily show, always blooming and luxuriant, for the four hundred people who work here.
It is almost an air-conditioned park, sheltered from the wind, rain, and the seasons, a fresh daily show, always blooming and luxuriant, for the four hundred people who work here
This enormous, empty and lush space, separating the offices from the noise of traffic and the city, enclosed within an architectural profile, does not break with the continuity of the street and its environment (as would have been the case by creating – to achieve isolation and a convey a specific meaning – a set-back tower with a green square in front of it). Here, the square does not surround the building – it's rather the building that surrounds the square. The street has been preserved. And the passers-by, who can cross the "greenhouse", from 42nd to 43rd Street are delighted by a beautiful light show – even at night. The office walls facing the courtyard are enlivened by open spaces, galleries, and, up to the fifth floor, planted terraces. And the use of glass in the façade is justified, too – the transparency of the office walls facing the courtyard offers a view on a beautiful garden instead of on other offices; these glass walls are not made to be looked at (as if they were shop windows) but to be looked through. And the exterior is lush with vegetation and air-conditioned. This architectural solution, completely new on this scale, and realized with American courage and skill, is particularly interesting for large cities, where there is smog, rain, wind, and noise.
these glass walls are not made to be looked at (as if they were shop windows) but to be looked through. And the exterior is lush with vegetation and air-conditioned. This architectural solution, completely new on this scale, and realized with American courage and skill, is particularly interesting for large cities, where there is smog, rain, wind, and noise
Statement of Kevin Roche
In designing the headquarters tor the Ford Foundation we wished to solve several problems which we felt were no being solved by the current crop of office buildings in New York - problems relating to the manner in which the occupants of a building are treated and problems relating to the contributions which any one building can make to the city as a whole. The conventional office building tends to isolate the individual and store him away in a cubicle with no means of communication other than electronics, with no sense of the working community to which he belongs, with no environment other than his own cubicle and with no view other than that of the anonymous cubicles 100 feet away across the street. We felt that a building tor the Foundation had a very special responsibility to provide a proper environment for its staff. A space that would allow them to enjoy the view but at the same time allow them to be aware of the existence of other members of the Foundation, people who share their common aims and purposes - the family of effort to which they belong. As to our second concern - that the building should contribute something to the city - it would have been easy for us to have designed another tower building, but we chose, rather, to keep the building as low as possible, 12 stories in height, and to conscientiously observe the lines and planes created by the other buildings which form the surrounding streets. To these ends then we designed a building C-shaped in plan which partially wraps around and shelters a large enclosed space, the remainder of the enclosure being spanned by a 10-story high sheer glass wall. This enclosure becomes a park with trees and shrubs and flowering plants - a place to look at and walk around, a place to enjoy some greenery even in the depths of winter. Since its lower level is at 42nd Street it will also be enjoyed by the passerby. In addition, the park is so placed that it continues and extends the existing public parks in the area. The offices are held back behind this enclosed park away from the heavy traffic noise and look out on a view that includes not only part of the building itself but parks, the street below, and farther down to the East River. lt is our hope that this will be a pleasant and human place to work in and that rather than ignoring the existing environment the building works with it and contributes something to its enhancement.
a place to look at and walk around, a place to enjoy some greenery even in the depths of winter. Since its lower level is at 42nd Street it will also be enjoyed by the passerby. In addition, the park is so placed that it continues and extends the existing public parks in the area
architects: Kevin Roche, John Dinkeloo and Associates
collaborators: For the structures, Severund Assoclates
for the garden: Dan Kiley, architect
Opening image: night view of Ford Foundation Headquarters. Image from Domus 462, 1968.