The American Copper Buildings

Adjoined at their closest point through a sky bridge, two bold and unique towers appear to be dancing as they lean into one another along the East River. To further emphasize the building's lively dynamic, the design team developed a copper and glass façade that animates their forms and draws in passengers on the ferry, commuters on FDR Drive and pedestrians throughout the city. The 4 millimeters thick copper-composite metal panels were installed without additional finishing to allow the structures to patina naturally and evolve over time. The once shiny orange copper has been visibly weathering– the façade has quickly developed a darker patina, with some areas already turning green. It was critical to the design team that the buildings have a material as alive and expressive as the city they inhabit.