The Big Bend


The Big Bend is a conceptual skyscraper, proposed for Billionaires' Row in New York City. The skyscraper, which was designed by the New York architecture firm Oiio Studio, has been described as the longest building in the world. Were it built, its height, would make it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, surpassing One World Trade Center. Reception to the proposal has been mixed.

Design

The Big Bend was designed by Ioannis Oikonomou of the architecture firm Oiio Studio. The proposal is most known for its distinctive U-shape, which would make it the longest building in the worldthough not the tallestif it were built. It would have a length of from one base to the top of the building to the other base. The proposal is a very tall and slender building, with a peak height above the ground that would be more than. This would make it a megatall building, as well as the tallest building in New York City, surpassing One World Trade Center by.
The structure is similar to the nearby "super-slender" 432 Park Avenue, with a grid of large windows, but would have even smaller floorplates.
Traversal of the Big Bend would be possible with an elevator that can travel in curves, as well as horizontally, in a continuous loop. Oiio Studio has stated that the technology for such an elevator is close to being a reality.
The Big Bend's U-shape was conceived as an attempt to circumvent zoning regulations restricting skyscraper height in Manhattan, and also as a response to the proliferation of luxury supertall skyscrapers in the area. Ioannis Oikonomou has said that the building "can become a modest architectural solution to the height limitations of Manhattan."

Site

The Big Bend would likely stand on West 57th Streetalso known as Billionaires' Rowin Manhattan, to the south of Central Park. The Calvary Baptist Church would be between the skyscraper's two bases. The building's two bases are currently occupied by a 22-story condo and two 5-story apartment buildings.

Reception

As of March 2017, online reception to the Big Bend proposal has been mixed.
Amy Plitt of Curbed New York has argued that the Big Bend is unlikely to ever be built. Plitt cited opposition to supertall skyscrapers by the local community, as well as a lack of funding, as potential issues for the project. The nearby Calvary Baptist Church and the Department of City Planning have not given official comments on the proposal, as of March 2017. Layla Law-Gisiko, the chair of the Sunshine Task Force of Community Board 5 took note of the Oiio Studio's imaginative nature, but called the design "silly" and "out of touch".
As of 2017, the Big Bend is in the proposal stage. Oikonomou sent the design to several developers and, seeking investments for the project.