He and his Catalan partner Oriol Bohigas—their firm is MBM Arquitectes—are among the city’s most prestigious architects. “The glass buildings don’t really fit in, but it’s a cheap way of planning,” McKay told Metropolitan. “A lot of it has to do with salesmanship and the image of modernity. The office wants to be in tune with modern values and they need glass buildings. Also, a wall takes up space that they can’t sell—they’re selling useful inside space—so the narrower and thinner the outside walls are, the better economic return for the investor.