Lipstick Building

The Lipstick Building stands out on Third Avenue because of its unconventional shape and its red granite exterior. Architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee designed the structure in the mid nineteen eighties at the request of a developer who wanted a building that looked glamorous and distinct. The tower is built in three telescopic tiers that recede as the structure rises, a design feature that fulfills Manhattan zoning regulations while giving the building its famous resemblance to a tube of lipstick.