IAC Building

IAC Building
Name	IAC Building
Location	555 West 18th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City
Architect	Frank Gehry
Client	IAC (InterActiveCorp)
Owner	IAC/Match Group (as of 2026)
Construction start	2006
Completion date	2007
Floor count	10
Height	145 ft
Structural system	Steel frame with glass curtain wall
Style	Deconstructivism

IAC Building is a ten-story office headquarters located at 555 West 18th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Designed by architect Frank Gehry for media and internet conglomerate InterActiveCorp (IAC), the building is noted for its sculptural glass curtain wall, integration with the High Line area, and its role in early 21st-century commercial architecture. The project generated attention from critics, developers, preservationists, and cultural institutions including the Municipal Art Society of New York, The New York Times, and the Museum of Modern Art.

History

The commission followed IAC founder Barry Diller's decision to consolidate operations previously scattered across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Initial site negotiations involved the New York City Department of City Planning and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, with neighborhood input from the Chelsea Historic District advocates and community boards such as Manhattan Community Board 4. The project was publicly announced in the mid-2000s, contemporaneous with construction of the High Line adaptive-reuse park and redevelopment efforts by entities like the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project. Debates in local press included pieces in The New York Times, editorials from the New York Daily News, and commentaries by critics at Architectural Record and The Wall Street Journal. The building opened in 2007 amid coverage by Wired, Fast Company, and international outlets such as the BBC and Le Monde.

Architecture and design

Designed by Frank Gehry of the Gehry Partners firm, the structure exemplifies elements of deconstructivist vocabulary associated with projects like the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The most distinctive feature is a rippling glass curtain wall that sweeps over a steel frame, echoing forms in works by designers such as Zaha Hadid and referencing façades from firms like Herzog & de Meuron. Materials and detailing involved glazing systems produced by manufacturers comparable to Schüco and curtain-wall consultants akin to Arup. Interior planning drew on precedents from the Eisenman Architects and workplace concepts advocated by commentators at Fast Company and Interior Design (magazine). The site’s relationship to the elevated High Line influenced massing decisions similar to policies promoted by the New York City Department of Transportation and the Friends of the High Line.

Construction and engineering

Construction was managed by a project team including general contractors experienced with urban infill similar to work by Turner Construction Company and structural engineers with portfolios like Thornton Tomasetti. The building uses a composite steel frame and concrete floor slabs with foundation work typical of Manhattan bedrock engagement, coordinated with NYC permitting from the Department of Buildings (New York City). Lateral-load resistance and curtain-wall anchorage involved engineering approaches comparable to those used on The High Line Hotel renovation and on large-scale glazed projects like One World Trade Center. Sustainability and mechanical systems were evaluated against LEED standards promoted by the U.S. Green Building Council, and the mechanical-electrical-plumbing coordination reflected practices from commercial towers developed by firms such as Related Companies.

Interior and facilities

The interior contains open-plan office floors, executive suites, conference facilities, and a cafeteria; workplace amenities mirror offerings at contemporary tech campuses such as Googleplex operations and media facilities like New York Times Building studios. Public circulation includes grand staircases and elevators designed with input from consultants experienced on projects for Sony Corporation and CBS Broadcasting. Art installations and curated pieces have been compared to collections presented at MoMA PS1 and exhibition programs at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Building services support occupancy by digital-media firms, with telecommunications infrastructure compatible with carriers and datacenter partners similar to Verizon and AT&T.

Cultural impact and media appearances

The building rapidly entered architectural discourse alongside works by Rem Koolhaas, Norman Foster, and Renzo Piano, appearing in monographs, exhibitions, and academic syllabi at institutions such as Columbia University and Pratt Institute. It has been photographed and profiled by publications including Architectural Digest, The New Yorker, and Designboom, and featured in television segments on NBC and CNN. The structure also appears in cinematic and commercial productions and has been cited in discussions about the reshaping of the Hudson River waterfront and the cultural revitalization associated with the Chelsea Piers corridor and Meatpacking District transformation.

Ownership and current use

Originally commissioned by InterActiveCorp, the structure served as IAC's headquarters under leadership of Barry Diller and executives such as Greg Blatt and Troy Young. Corporate reorganizations and spin-offs involving entities like Match Group and Expedia Group have influenced tenant mixes and ownership arrangements. As of the mid-2020s the building continues to house parent-company offices, subsidiary teams, and creative partners, with leasing activity tracked by brokerage firms akin to CBRE Group and JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle). Ongoing stewardship involves partnerships with local civic groups including the Chelsea Improvement Company and cultural collaborators such as the High Line Network.

Category:Frank Gehry buildings Category:Office buildings in Manhattan Category:Chelsea, Manhattan