Olympic Tower

The Olympic Tower corridor serves as a connector between 51st and 52nd Streets in Manhattan, and as a respite from the bustle of Midtown. During a revamp, the space was reimagined with a clean, modern interior as well as a all-glass facade to let in light and the views of the neighborhood, including historic Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.

A privately-owned public space, or POPS, the passageway offers shops, cafes, and seating to the public while trees, a green wall, and a three-story waterfall bring in the calming elements of nature.

Continuing the infusion of the natural world into the built, Nanometer installed NanoBoard Square fixtures into the ceiling to provide lighting on a circadian rhythm, something possible thanks to their tunable white LEDs. Operational 24 hours a day, the temperature and intensity of the light fluctuate to complement the natural light levels of the world outside. The light transitions from a warm, golden light in the morning to a cooler, brighter light during the peak of the afternoon, before repeating the cycle.

The NanoBoard fixtures provide a welcoming wash of light that, along with the living green walls by Abel Bainnson Butz and art installations by Liam Gillick, turn this passageway into a tranquil oasis and a hidden gem in the heart of Manhattan.