Baccarat Hotel & Residences is a 605-foot-tall, mixed-use building located on 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenue in New York City. SOM was tasked with designing a destination that embodied the elegance and artistry of Baccarat, the luxury crystal brand founded by King Louis XV more than 250 years ago. Like a honed piece of exquisite glassware, the tower distinguishes itself within its surroundings through its formal restraint and focus on detail.

From the exterior, Baccarat Hotel & Residences is a study in contrast. The tower’s east and west elevations—the main structural components of the tower—are sheathed in faceted, jet black aluminum panels, referencing the austerity and minimalism of its neighbor, Edward Durell Stone’s landmark MoMA building. Like a geode, these solid, matte surfaces frame the dazzling, reflective north and south façades. Clad with crystal-clear glass, these surfaces evoke Baccarat’s long history of decorative arts. With varying light and sky conditions, these large glazed expanses appear organic and lively.

The play of light and material continues at ground level. The tower’s podium is composed of prismatic glass fins arranged in rhythmic, vertical configuration. Throughout the day, these fins reflect one another, creating a dynamic interplay of light and color. Three canopied bronze portals are cut into this surface, providing separate entrances to the residences, hotel, and restaurant. At night, illuminated from within, the podium glows like a chandelier.

Within, the 50-story structure contains three distinct programmatic elements that are stacked vertically above one other: a public library, located on the ground floor and one level below, a 9-story luxury hotel within the tower’s podium, and condominiums above on floors 18-49.