Empire State Building

Empire State Building. The Empire State Building is an iconic skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates and built by Starrett Brothers & Eken, with John Jacob Raskob and Pierre Samuel du Pont as key investors. The building was constructed during the Great Depression, with workers from American Bridge Company and Stewart & Irwin, and was officially opened on May 1, 1931, with President Herbert Hoover pressing a button in Washington, D.C. to turn on the building's lights, which were witnessed by New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt and New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker. The building's construction was a significant event in the history of skyscraper design, with influences from Art Deco and Gothic architecture, as seen in the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan.

History

The Empire State Building was built on the site of the former Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which was demolished in 1929 to make way for the new skyscraper, with Demolition Company handling the demolition process, and Excavation Company excavating the site. The building's construction was a massive undertaking, with over 3,400 workers involved in the project, including ironworkers from Local 40 and carpenters from Local 608, and was completed in just over a year, with a final cost of over $24.7 million, which was funded by MetLife and Prudential Financial. The building was officially opened on May 1, 1931, with President Herbert Hoover pressing a button in Washington, D.C. to turn on the building's lights, which were witnessed by New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt and New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker, and was attended by Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. The building's early years were marked by a series of notable events, including the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, which featured a replica of the building, and the 1939 World's Fair in New York City, which was held in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Design_and_construction

The Empire State Building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates, with William Van Alen as the lead architect, and was influenced by the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. The building's design was a significant departure from earlier skyscrapers, with a sleek and modern Art Deco style, as seen in the Chrysler Building and the 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The building's construction was a complex process, with a series of elevators and escalators designed by Otis Elevator Company and Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and a steel frame designed by American Bridge Company and Stewart & Irwin. The building's exterior was covered in limestone and granite, with a series of aluminum and stainless steel details, and was designed to be energy-efficient, with a series of insulation and ventilation systems, as seen in the works of Buckminster Fuller and Norman Foster.

Architecture

The Empire State Building is a significant example of Art Deco architecture, with a sleek and modern design, as seen in the Chrysler Building and the 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The building's design was influenced by the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan, and features a series of aluminum and stainless steel details, including a distinctive art deco spire, which was designed by Homer Gage Balcom and William Van Alen. The building's interior features a series of marble and limestone details, including a grand lobby designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates, and a series of elevators and escalators designed by Otis Elevator Company and Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The building's design has been praised by architects and critics, including Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe, and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service.

Tourism_and_popular_culture

The Empire State Building is one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York City, with over 4 million visitors per year, and has been featured in a series of films and television shows, including King Kong and Sleepless in Seattle. The building's observation deck on the 86th floor offers stunning views of the city, and is a popular spot for photography and sightseeing, with binoculars and telescopes available for visitors to use, and has been visited by celebrities such as Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. The building has also been the site of several notable events, including the Annual Empire State Building Run-Up, which is sponsored by NYRR and Champion, and the Empire State Building Lighting Ceremony, which is sponsored by Philips and OSRAM. The building's popularity has been fueled by its appearance in a series of video games and simulations, including Grand Theft Auto IV and SimCity, and has been the subject of several books and documentaries, including The Empire State Building Book and Skyscraper, which was narrated by David Attenborough.

Impact_and_legacy

The Empire State Building has had a significant impact on the development of skyscraper design, with its sleek and modern Art Deco style influencing a generation of architects and builders, including I.M. Pei and Frank Gehry. The building's construction was a major factor in the development of Midtown Manhattan, with the area becoming a major hub for business and commerce, with companies such as IBM and Microsoft locating their headquarters in the area. The building's legacy extends beyond its architectural significance, with the building becoming a symbol of American ingenuity and progress, as seen in the works of Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol. The building has been designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service, and has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and has been the subject of several awards and honors, including the AIA Gold Medal and the National Building Museum's Vincent Scully Prize. Category:Skyscrapers