Monday, October 17, 2016

New York Life Insurance Building; New York, NY


New York Life Insurance Building, New York

  Cass Gilbert.

New York Life Insurance Co.
 

The New York Life Insurance building was designed in 1926 by Architect Cass Gilbert- renowned for his detailed skyscrapers, the construction ran from 1927 to 1928. Located on Madison Avenue between 26th and 27th street stands the New York Life Insurance Building, a 40 story, 617 foot tall, neo-gothic office building sitting on nearly 2 acres of land. Looking up at the building you can see every detail covering every aspect of this building. The building appears to be set on a base with a row of arches and large streams of vertical windows that run throughout all sets of towers equally.






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   A set of 3 towers of the same height inset off the first base, the center tower being squared and the two on either side of it being rectangular. Set above that is a set of 3 towers again, the center tower has slight inset as it doubles in height with the crowned top, while the pair beside remain at a similar height.










The building consists of thirty-four stories but the crown at the top adds another 6 stories creating the pyramidal roof. The tower is set well back from the base, and is capped at 187.5 m with an octagonal golden spire [2] which is covered in gold-toned tile making this feature the most prominent. Although the roof can be recognized and seen throughout the skyline, all of the other details of the building are just as thought out. Other detailing Cass Gilbert added was the building's exterior which is comprised of 440,000 cubic feet of Indiana Limestone, solid bronze was used to frame the building’s 2,180 windows, as well as using bronze in many other interior decoration forms such as on the buildings large ornate doors, 18 enormous hanging lamps. elaborate coffered and vaulted ceilings, the richly-molded surrounds of the entrance, window spandrels, and gargoyles at the roof line. [1, 3]




Transverse Section.
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Plan of Piers.
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        Although the design of this building is perceived to be detailed flawlessly, there were some challenges Gilbert faced. In April 1925 with the excavation over 60 percent complete and structural steel fabrication well underway, Gilbert was ordered to abandon the design because the bids on construction costs were much higher than anticipated. The building was redesigned and construction resumed the following year. The new design substituted limestone cladding for the original marble that had been proposed, incorporated more setbacks, and added the gilded pyramidal roof with six stories for mechanical services. [5] Gilbert melded the neo-Gothic embellishments of his earlier buildings with the cubic geometries of 1920s skyscrapers, making this building a significant transition from the historical revival-style skyscrapers of the 1900s to the Art Deco towers of the late 1920s. [3] The building is Gilbert's third and final version of the neo-Gothic skyscraper in New York City. [5]

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5 comments:

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  2. Nice article, the information you have shared here is really helpful, keep sharing them.
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  3. Nice Post!!
    The New York Life Insurance building, a neo-gothic masterpiece designed by Architect Cass Gilbert in 1926, is truly captivating. Its 40 stories and 617-foot height dominate Madison Avenue, showcasing remarkable attention to detail. The arrangement of towers and the ornate exterior, adorned with Indiana Limestone and bronze accents, speak to Gilbert's vision. As a resident of Houston with an interest in Life Insurance, this architectural marvel stands as a symbol of strength and stability, much like the financial security life insurance provides.

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