LEGO Architecture User manual

Empire State Building
New York City, New York, USA
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On the heels of the roaring 20’s, the Great Depression
soon set in and America’s optimism was at an all-time
low. During this time, America’s labor force was at its
highest supply and the value of the dollar was cut in
half over night. Ironically, it was this combination of
events that made a construction project of this
proportion possible.
Designed by Gregory Johnson and his architectural
rm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, the Empire State Building
celebrates the Art Deco movement, exemplifying this
style to the highest degree. Often regarded as the
symbol of American Skyscrapers, a great deal of
thought and consideration was demonstrated during
the 16 redesigns of the building’s design. After all, this
would be the world’s rst building to touch the sky with
over 100 stories.
Built on the previous site of the famous Waldorf Astoria
Hotel, the construction took seven million man hours
and had a feverish pace of 4½ oors per week.
Iron workers erected 60 thousand tons of riveted steel
frames into a series of stacked boxes. They became
known as “Sky-walkers” due to the dizzying heights
they worked at – heights never previously attempted.
On May 1st, 1931, the building opened after only 410
days of construction and remained the tallest building
in the world until 1972 when the World Trade Center
opened. The building is a member of the “World
Federation of Great Towers” and has been named
one of the 7 wonders of the modern world.
Architecture, Engineering and Construction
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Points of Interest
The observation tower at the top of the Empire State
Building was originally intended to be a dock for mooring
airships in an effort to attract international travel. However,
after several futile attempts at mooring a Zeppelin in
the strong winds present at 1250 feet, the idea was
thoughtfully scrapped. On a foggy morning of July 1945,
a U.S. Airforce B-25 bomber crashed into Empire State
Building’s 78th & 79
th oors tragically killing 14 people.
As a true testament to the quality of the Empire State
Building it was reopened just two days later.
Location: .......................350 Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York, United States
Architect: .......................Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates
Classication: ............High Rise
Construction Type: . Riveted Steel Box Frame Constructions
Materials: ......................Stainless Steel, Concrete, Glass, Aluminum, Limestone, Marble, and Granite
Year: .................................1930-1931
Height: ............................1,250 ft. (381 m.)
Footprint: ......................424 ft x 187 ft (129 m x 57 m.)
Pinnacle Type: ........... Broadcast Antenna 1,470 ft. (448 m.)
Stories: ...........................102
Cost: ................................$41 million (1931)
Floor Area: ...................2,768,000 ft2 (254,000 m2)
Zoned: ...........................Ofce, Commercial, Retail, Communication & Observation
Elevators. ......................73 (64 in central core)
Facts at a Glance
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