Gensler plans to create a bright and minimal lobby inside Philip Johnson's land marked postmodernist AT&T Building, as part of the major overhaul of the skyscraper led by architecture firm Snohetta. The New York firm has redesigned the entrance of the 550 Madison tower in Midtown Manhattan, which was completed in 1984 by American architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee. It will serve as a private lobby for tenants of the office building, which is being overhauled by Snohetta.
       Many changes have been made to the lobby's historic postmodern design. Renderings show that previously dark stone walls and ceilings will be clad in pieces of honed white marble. Darker bronze mesh panels will line the lower half of the walls, complete with a punctured seating booth. While Gensler's bright and minimal space contrasts from the previously moody and dimly lit interiors, the firm said the design is "grounded in a respect" for the original space.
       "The overall approach for the lobby design is grounded in a respect for and deference to the original Philip Johnson John Burgee design," said Philippe Paré, Gensler's principal and design director. "In reimagining the space, we sought out the essence of the original lobby. The lobby's volume and spatial proportions are maintained in their simplest, most basic form and we see the results as a powerful expression of the building's character," he added.
       Among the features that draw on the original is an embedded circle design that marks an old window, and a boldly patterned terrazzo floor that has similarities to the existing design. Other interior details include a terrazzo desk that is a composite of the two colors on the new floor. "The approach to the design is resolutely contemporary and at the same time rooted in the classical architectural language unique to Philip Johnson," Gensler said.