Fergie's Tech Blog

27 May: A Triple Architectural Triumph

Amazingly, these three stunning & world-recognizable landmarks were all unveiled on 27 May, of course, in different years (all pretty close together, however).

Enjoy!

All via Wikipedia.


27 May 1930 -- The 1,046 feet (319 meters) tall Chrysler Building in New York (tallest man-made structure at the time) opens to the public.

Completed in 1930, the Chrysler Building is a distinctive symbol of New York City, standing 1,046 feet (319 m) high on the east side of Manhattan at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Originally built for the Chrysler Corporation, the building is presently co-owned by TMW Real Estate (75%) and Tishman Speyer Properties (25%).

The Chrysler Building was the first structure in the world to surpass the 1,000 foot (305 m) threshold. Despite being overtaken by the Empire State Building as the tallest building in the world during the 1930s, the Chrysler Building is still the tallest brick building in the world.

Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Image source: Wikipedia

27 May 1932 -- The Sydney Harbour Bridge opens.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the major landmarks of Sydney, Australia, connecting the Sydney central business district (CBD) with the North Shore commercial and residential areas, both of which are located on Sydney Harbour. The dramatic water vista of the bridge together with the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of both Sydney and Australia. The bridge is colloquially referred to as "the Coathanger" on account of its arch-based design, although this usage is less prevalent than it once was.

The bridge was the city's tallest structure until 1967. According to Guinness World Records, it is the widest long-span bridge in the world. It is the world's largest single-arch bridge, but not the longest (as millions of Australian school children were erroneously taught). The Bayonne Bridge in the United States, opened four months earlier on 15 November 1931, is just 2.3 feet (70 cm) longer.

The design bears a marked resemblance to that of the New York Hell Gate Bridge. Its design was later used as a basis for the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

The Golden Gate Bridge
Image source: Wikipedia

27 May 1937 -- In California, the Golden Gate Bridge opens to pedestrian traffic, creating a vital link between San Francisco and Marin County.

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening into the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. It connects the city of San Francisco on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and a portion of the south-facing Marin County headlands near the small bayside town of Sausalito, and is located at 37°49′12″N, 122°28′43″W.

The entire bridge (including the approach) spans 1.7 miles (2.7 km) long; the distance between the towers ("main span") is 4,200 feet (1,280 m), and the clearance below the bridge is 220 ft (67 m) at mean high water. The two towers rise 746 feet (230 m) above the water. The diameter of the main suspension cables is 36 inches (0.91 m).

The Golden Gate Bridge was the largest suspension bridge in the world when it was completed in 1937 and has become an internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco.

posted by Fergie @ 5/26/2006 10:01:00 PM