#skyscapers

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, FALL 1955

This October 1955 image captures the urban impact of nearly a decade of post-WWII building activity. Numerous modern, setback-style structures—mostly under 25 stories—appear east of Fifth Avenue, blending with the city’s iconic Art Deco towers from the 1920s and '30s. Among them, the under-construction Socony-Mobil Building signals the rise of a new generation of tall skyscrapers.

Prominent landmarks include the Chrysler Building, Waldorf-Astoria, Rockefeller Center, and the Empire State Building, still reigning with its 102 floors, as well as Central Park South's hotel row and the distant towers of the Financial District.

Photo: Fairchild Aerial Surveys.

Source: Las Maravillas del Mundo. España, Codex, 1965.

🏙️ 1955: Farewell to the Old, Welcome to the New

In 1955, New York City found itself at a crossroads—between the fading elegance of early 20th-century architecture and the bold rise of modernism.

This article reflects on that pivotal year, when demolition, development, and design trends reshaped the Manhattan skyline forever.

📖 Dive into the transitions that redefined the city’s identity. 🔗 Read the full piece -in Spanish- in "Historia de los Rascacielos de Nueva York":

Day 2315, 24 October 2024