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Listen, we love great architecture as much as anyone, and New York is home to a lot of it. From the legendary Chrysler Building to the mind-bending Hearst Tower, the city's skyline is nothing short of jaw-dropping.
But over the past decade or so, a prominent design trend for new skyscraper developments in the city has been to build super tall, super skinny and super boring high rises. 432 Park is the best example of this slender paradigm—the 1,396-foot-tall tower is about as exciting as a bowl of stale saltine crackers. A handful of other developments that are currently in the works have followed suit. The trend has become so obnoxious that one local architecture firm poked fun by publishing a concept skyscraper for what would be the longest skyscraper in the world.
Unsurprisingly, New York's latest sky high development will be a narrow, 1,001-foot-tall residential tower to be erected at 262 Fifth Avenue. The building was designed by Russian-based architecture firm Maganom. Unlike 432 Park, the architects appear to be designing something that is actually aesthetically pleasing.
According to the firm's website, the idea for the building is to put residents on platforms, or "shelves in the air," to provide spectacular panoramic views. It also includes a rooftop deck, a feature that is only available at 432 Park by way of breaking and entering.
When it's all said and done, the early renderings for the building are actually quite delightful—it would just be nice to see a developer break the mold.