How the Empire State Building proclaimed New York City's power
The Empire State Building, an Art Deco masterpiece and a New York City landmark.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Transcript
[Music in]
NARRATOR: As New York rose in world influence, the city found ways to consciously proclaim its power to the planet. One of the first and best examples is the Empire State Building, built in the early 1930s. The building's construction put many men to work in the depths of the Great Depression and helped sustain New York's economy at a critical time.
The structure exemplifies Art Deco architecture. Simple and geometric streamlined shapes grace the structure inside and out. But what set the structure apart was its height. When completed, it was the tallest office building in the world, a status that remained unchallenged through much of the 20th century. Art Deco lines in the building reinforced its vertical feeling.
[Music out]
NARRATOR: As New York rose in world influence, the city found ways to consciously proclaim its power to the planet. One of the first and best examples is the Empire State Building, built in the early 1930s. The building's construction put many men to work in the depths of the Great Depression and helped sustain New York's economy at a critical time.
The structure exemplifies Art Deco architecture. Simple and geometric streamlined shapes grace the structure inside and out. But what set the structure apart was its height. When completed, it was the tallest office building in the world, a status that remained unchallenged through much of the 20th century. Art Deco lines in the building reinforced its vertical feeling.
[Music out]
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