In Manhattan, generations of buildings share a defining trait: height. From a slender residential spire on the Upper West Side to a mixed-use landmark on Fifth Avenue, these architectural achievements that can span beyond 1,000 feet tall stand at the forefront of modern high-rise design. Behind each of these landmark developments is the Studco Vortex High-Performance Framing System™.
Driven by wind load dynamics and structural sway, high-rise buildings naturally experience vortex shedding, a phenomenon that subjects internal wall partitions to intense stress and friction. To mitigate the risk of creaking and popping noises caused by structural movement, the project developers and builders turned to Studco®. By specifying the patented, engineered Vortex System, these developments are better equipped to reduce creaking and create more comfortable environments for tenants.
FOUR MANHATTAN LANDMARKS
Below is an overview of four notable Manhattan developments that have specified the Studco Vortex High-Performance Framing System™ .
|
Project |
Developers | Project Type |
Studco Products Used |
| 50 West 66th Street, NY | Extell Development Company | Luxury Residential Condominium Tower 69 Floors (775 ft.) |
Studco Vortex High-Performance Framing System™ |
| 262 Fifth Avenue, NY | Five Points Development | Ultra-Luxury Residential Tower 57 Floors (860 ft.) |
Studco Vortex High-Performance Framing System™, CrocStud® Drywall Stud, Resilmat® RMI Sound Isolation Material, Resilmat® W20R Sound Isolation Washer, Resilmount® A48R Right Angle Sound Isolation Bracket |
| The Torch, 740 Eighth Avenue, NY | Extell Development Company | Supertall Hotel & Observation Experience 52 Floors (1,029 ft.) |
Studco Vortex High-Performance Framing System™, CrocStud® Drywall Stud |
| 520 Fifth Avenue, NY | Rabina | Mixed-Use Supertall: Private Club, Office & Residential 88 Floors (1,002 ft.) |
Studco Vortex High-Performance Framing System™, Resilmat® RMI Sound Isolation Material, Resilmount® A48R Right Angle Sound Isolation Bracket, Resilmount® A237R Sound Isolation Clip |
50 WEST 66th STREET
A New Icon
50 West 66th Street rises 775 feet above the Upper West Side, a 69-story residential tower decked in limestone and bronze that draws on the neighborhood’s prewar architectural heritage while offering something distinctly new. Inside, 127 residences with sweeping views toward Central Park and Lincoln Center.
The Vortex High-Performance Framing System is fixed throughout the tower’s internal walls, supporting the acoustic performance residents expect in a project of this scale.
262 FIFTH AVENUE
NoMad’s Future Landmark
Rising from a footprint of 2,200 square feet, 262 Fifth Avenue is one of the most slender towers ever built in Manhattan. Inside, only 26 ultra-luxury full-floor and duplex residences make use of a centralized structural core, giving every unit column-free, light-filled living spaces.
The project utilizes the comprehensive Studco framing system, including the Vortex system, CrocStud drywall studs, structural steel framing, and Resilmat sound isolation product, to deliver structural integrity, design efficiency, and acoustic performance in one of Fifth Avenue’s highest-value residential developments.
THE TORCH
Redefining the Skyline
The Torch brings a bold new landmark to the edge of Times Square: a supertall hospitality tower topped with a public observation deck, a glass crown inspired by the Statue of Liberty’s torch. Inside, 825 hotel rooms sit beneath a soaring glass crown, welcoming guests to one of Midtown Manhattan’s most distinctive addresses.
Across the hotel’s interior fit-out, Studco Vortex and CrocStud framing systems are designed to accommodate building movement while maintaining reliable acoustic and structural performance.
520 FIFTH AVENUE
A Mixed-Use Marvel
520 Fifth Avenue stands 1,002 feet tall at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street, one block north of Bryant Park, a slender terracotta and aluminum-clad tower that ranks among the tallest mixed-use addresses on Fifth Avenue. The tower brings together a private members’ club, boutique office space, and luxury residences within a single address.
From boardroom to residence, the Vortex High-Performance Framing System, coupled with the Resilmat soundproofing material and Resilmount sound isolation products, delivers the same acoustic standard across every floor.
BUILT FOR EVERY USE
Residential, hospitality, ultra-luxury, and mixed-use developments each have unique acoustic requirements, but all face a common challenge caused by wind-induced building movement. As a tower sways under wind loads, tension develops at the connection between internal steel studs and the head track. The release of this tension can generate audible creaking or popping noises within occupied spaces.
An essential component of the Studco Vortex High-Performance Framing System is the Studco® Vortex Stud isolation clips, engineered to isolate metal-on-metal contact at that exact connection point, so the tension does not translate into an audible creak or pop. A full-length rebated top track adds rigidity against the uneven concrete substrates, while engineered anti-tension kerfs provide a secondary measure to limit deformation as the structure moves.
Together, these components, and the wider Studco product range used alongside them across these four towers, are engineered to support every use case from the same underlying principle: isolate the connection, manage the tension, and help reduce the risk of internal framing creaking at its source.
A PROVEN TRACK RECORD
Four landmark addresses, four distinct architectural visions, and one framing system engineered to support them all. These towers stand as proof of the Studco Vortex High-Performance Framing System’s track record, joining a global portfolio of over 77 successful project installations, across 3,716 stories worldwide. Backed by more than a decade of research, testing, and real-world performance, the Vortex System ensures that the luxurious experiences these developments promise is not compromised by the very height that makes them exceptional.
CONTACT US
The engineering behind these projects can extend to your next build. Studco has been manufacturing in the US for over 20 years and works alongside project teams as a trusted technical partner, not just a product supplier. Find out how by contacting Studco at 800 675 8023 or sales@studcosystems.com.
