Adjaye Associates' Inverted Supertall Tower In New York

Beautiful renderings of an extraordinary 'upside down' supertall New York skyscraper that cantilevers outwards from the bottom up have been revealed. If authorized, the 'Affirmation Tower' will not only be one of Manhattan's most eye-catching towers, but also the second highest in the city – and the Western Hemisphere – behind the 1,776ft tall One World Trade Center. The skyscraper, designed by Ghanian-British Sir David Adjaye of Adjaye Associates, would be the highest in New York (1633ft). The first New York skyscraper designed by a black architect was the 66-story 130 William, which was completed in 2019 and was also one of Sir David's projects.

His business indicated that the choice to not top the height of One World Trade Center with the Affirmation Tower was taken on purpose "out of respect for what it represents." It would, however, have the highest occupiable floor in the Western Hemisphere. The proposed location is on Manhattan's west side, near Hudson Yards, and the tower will contain the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's headquarters (NAACP).

The tower is shaped like a 'blossoming tree because metaphorically and physically, this project is designed to put down roots for women and minority representation within the NYC skyline. The tower's design features a firm trunk, branching out and creating incredible possibilities,' according to a statement.

The design, a deviation from the usual monolithic skyscraper, spreads vertically as if growing like a tree straight inside the landscape of New York's urban grain.

The physical restrictions of the site also influenced the shape, with the development team collaborating with Thornton Tomasetti, a "global expert in the design of tall and supertall structures," to evaluate the project's structural viability and constructability.