MANAHATTA and WINDTOWER

Madison House, one of the newest icons on New York City’s skyline, rises from bedrock formed over 450 million years ago. Shaped by ancient climate shifts, tectonic forces, and glacial movement, the resulting Manhattan Schist created a natural foundation for the city’s vertical ambitions. Today, the tallest buildings follow this geology—where the bedrock rises, so do the structures above it.

Inspired by this deep geological history and the layered forces of nature and human innovation, Tom created Manhatta, a twelve-foot vertical glass mural, and Windtower, a monumental kinetic metal sculpture in the lobby of Madison House.

Manhatta is a tribute to the land’s evolution—an artwork that reveals the intersection of earth, water, air, and human imagination. Named after the Lenape word for “hilly land,” Manhatta honors the original stewards of the region and overlays time through the transparency of glass. The mural visually captures the natural and cultural events that have shaped Manhattan, offering a poetic reflection of climate, geology, and urban transformation.

Windtower, suspended from ceiling to floor by nearly invisible cables, is a kinetic sculpture designed to interact with the building’s airflow system. It generates a graceful, rotating motion—visible from the street, entryway, and interior lobby. At once dramatic and serene, the sculpture embodies movement, energy, and balance. It is both a statement of style and a symbol of environmental harmony.

Together, Manhatta and Windtower ground Madison House not only in the physical landscape of New York, but also in a deeper timeline of change and resilience. These works mark a bold collaboration between architecture, art, science, and the natural world—underscoring the enduring truth that no landscape is permanent, and every landmark tells a story.