IAC Building

The IAC Building, which opened in 2007, was described as one of the world’s most attractive office buildings by Vanity Fair magazine.

The building was the first office project designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry in New York City, and the first constructed entirely of glass. The stunning 10-storey building, which sits opposite the Chelsea Pier sports complex in lower Manhattan, was designed to provide an open, collaborative workspace for American holding company IAC Inc.

Brand: Permasteelisa North America

Design architect: Gehry Partners

Executive architect: Adamson Associates Architects

Contractor: Turner

Developer: The Georgetown Company

The project

The concept

The groundbreaking building is constructed entirely of glass and was built to resemble a tall ship in full sail. It is divided into two levels of five floors horizontally, with five vertical sections at the bottom and three at the top. The building has 1,450 custom engineered curtain wall units, of which 1,349 are unique in their shape and degree of twist.

What did we do?

We designed, engineered, manufactured and installed 8,800 sqm of façade, composed of double-glazed 12 x 5 ft panels that create a curved glass curtain wall. The unitised panels were shipped to the construction site flat, then ‘cold warped’ or bent into shape. With a skin of white-fritted glass, the cladding acts as an integrated sunscreen and enhances the building’s sustainability.