The Crystal takes its name literally — a tower whose form was generated by faceting the tapering volume into dozens of angled glass planes, each one catching light at a slightly different angle as it rises. Seen from the street, the building refracts the sky rather than simply reflecting it, shifting from pale blue to near-white depending on the hour.

The tapering profile wasn't purely aesthetic: as the tower narrows toward its crown, floor plates shrink in step, allowing upper levels to be leased as premium executive space with wraparound views over the surrounding skyline. Structural loads were routed through a faceted perimeter frame rather than a central core, freeing the interior for column-free open-plan offices.

At its base, the facade's angles widen out to form a dramatic double-height lobby, letting the same crystalline logic that defines the skyline silhouette also shape the arrival experience at street level. The Crystal has since become one of the most photographed additions to its stretch of Manhattan.