3. 666 Fifth Avenue Ceiling and Waterfall (1956 to 1958)

Landscape of Clouds

666 Fifth Ave features a landmarked lobby that was a collaboration between architect Robert Carson and Noguchi. The space features two of Noguchi’s masterworks, Landscape of the Cloud and Waterfall. Landscape of the Cloud was created on models of templates that were taken and executed directly on steel, painted and installed on-site. This piece transformed the lobby from a functional space to a more “inspiringly aesthetic one.”

Waterfall, the complementary work to the other, is made up of curved, cut stainless steel railings, each one different from the other, to create a kind of rippling wave effect. The two pieces add a sleek and modern aesthetic that contrasts all the noise and bustle of the city outside the building.

Isamu Noguchi-Waterfall-666 Fifth Avenue-Lobby-NYC