New York’s New Architecture Stars

“Ben van Berkel’s Five Franklin Place takes the glass-box condo and ties it up in sinuous ribbons of black metal. Frank Gehry drapes the Beekman Tower’s 76 stories in voluptuous folds of stainless steel. More is to come from Rem Koolhaas, Daniel Libeskind and Jean Nouvel. These are not just emblems of confidence in the New York market. They also express faith in architecture that strives for significance.”