The famous Empire State Building (ESB) – a 102-story skyscraper built in New York in 1931
For most of us, New York is associated primarily with its richest and most famous part – Manhattan, and the word Manhattan typically brings to mind the image of a skyscraper. Although the first skyscrapers appeared in Chicago, and nowadays even in 'old' Europe, and especially in Asia, there are many cities where they are built, it so happens that the architectural image of New York is associated with these giants.
The construction of high-rises was facilitated by the limited territory (after all, the city center is located on an island), and therefore the high price of land, as well as the presence of solid rock formations that facilitate the construction of foundations for tall buildings.
Unlike Asian countries, where skyscrapers sometimes stand next to each other and mutually worsen natural lighting both for themselves and for the surroundings, New York's skyscrapers are still interspersed with less tall buildings. Moreover, the skyscrapers are quite diverse in architecture, and most even have their own names.
Thus, one of the first skyscrapers on Broadway, built in the Greek Revival style, was named 'Bowling Green' (Bowling Green Offices, architects – brothers William and George Oddsley). And the first skyscraper in the city is usually called the 'New York World Building' built in 1890. It has not survived to this day. Although this skyscraper was not the first tall building in the city ('only' 106 meters), it was the one that rose above Trinity Church. The World Building held its lead for only 9 years, until it was demolished in 1955 due to the reconstruction of the approaches to the Brooklyn Bridge.
And in the 1910s, a real boom in high-rise construction began in the city, lasting until the 1930s. During this period, 16 of the 82 tallest city buildings were built. During this period, the Trump Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Empire State Building were built, each of which at one time was the tallest building in the world.
The Trump Building (also called 40 Wall Street) was built in 1930 during the so-called 'height race'. It was taller not only than the nearby Woolworth Building, but also, crucially, the Chrysler Building being constructed next door. But Chrysler's architects changed the height of the building during construction, and as a result, the Trump Building 'enjoyed' the title of the world's tallest skyscraper for only a few months. However, Walter Chrysler, the owner of the Chrysler Building, did not celebrate his victory for long. Already in 1931, the Empire State Building was built, which remained the tallest building in the world until 1972.
The Chrysler Building can be called the best representative of the Art Deco style in New York architecture. The architects used the design of hubcaps on Chrysler automobile wheels to create the original ornamentation of the skyscraper's top. The building is considered one of the most beautiful in the city and one of the best achievements of 1920s architecture, and one of its nicknames is 'The Beauty of Manhattan'.
The Empire State Building is the first building in the world to have more than 100 stories. It is currently the tallest building in New York, and its observation decks are among the most visited in the world. The building is equipped with lighting that changes in honor of significant events, whether it be matches of New York sports teams or St. Patrick's Day.
The second boom in skyscraper construction began in the 1960s and continues to this day. During this time, seven dozen skyscrapers have been built, including the Twin Towers, destroyed during the 2001 terrorist attack, which housed the World Trade Center.
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