In 1978 an architectural student discovered that a skyscraper in NY could topple if strong winds hit the building. The engineer that is credited for designing the building then made secret nightly repairs in collaboration with the NYPD, without alerting the general public to the danger.
architecture
A London skyscraper melted…
A London skyscraper melted several cars and started fires due to the intensity of the sun’s reflection on its south side. It had to be fitted with a permanent sunshade to prevent more incidents.
Despite ancient Roman bridges…
Despite ancient Roman bridges being the first large and lasting bridges ever built, many are still used despite being around 2,000 years old.
Forty years ago, a prominent designer…
Forty years ago, a prominent designer received a call from an undergrad architecture student who told him that a design flaw in his 59-story Manhattan skyscraper could cause it to collapse during a storm. Initially he scoffed, then disturbingly, figured that she was right.
The largest brick building in the Americas…
The largest brick building in the Americas is located on an uninhabited island 68 miles west of Key West.
Hitler and his architect Albert Speer believed…
Hitler and his architect Albert Speer believed in the “Ruin Value” of buildings. He aimed for every building that the Third Reich built to have aesthetically pleasing ruins 1000 years from their completion.
Lewis Bradbury asked a $5/week…
Lewis Bradbury asked a $5/week draftsman with no architectural training to design his $500,000 building in 1892. Wyman agreed after consulting his dead brother via Oija board. The Bradbury Building in LA is a National Historic Landmark and appeared in movies such as Blade Runner.
Stockholm has a 20-story light up tower and the color…
Stockholm has a 20-story light up tower and the color of every floor can be changed by anyone with a smartphone. It’s meant to be a statement on the power of democracy and the the public.
The design of the tallest residential building…
The design of the tallest residential building in the world, 432 Park Avenue in Manhattan, is inspired by a trash can.
The reason buildings in Hong Kong have gaping…
The reason buildings in Hong Kong have gaping holes is to allow dragons free passage from their mountain homes to the sea.