New York City - 1950s
After the Great Depression and World War II, much of New York's skyline had been frozen in time for nearly two decades, but towards the tail end of the 40s and into the 50s, the city started to expand upwards once again. While many of the buildings built in the 30s and earlier were constructed in the familiar Art Deco style - the 1950s saw the International style of architecture take off, and many of the new buildings would be built in this style - drastically changing the look of New York's iconic skyline forever.
We'll begin in 1950 with a stop at the famed Flatiron Building. Once a bustling streetcar intersection, the 40s and 50s saw the end of the trolley as buses rose in popularity across the city.
The 1950s also saw the demise (and eventual demolition in the 60s) of a few of the city's aging landmarks, like Brooklyn's iconic Ebbets Field - home of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1913-1957.
The 1950's saw the rise of the International style skyscraper across the world, and the Lever House (1952) on Park Avenue was one of the finest examples of the style. Designed by Gordon Bunshaft and Natalie de Blois, its distinctive blue-green tinted glass made for a striking contrast with the surrounding buildings at the time.
Also completed in 1952 was Oscar Niemeyer and Le Corbusier's iconic United Nations building, located on the shores of the East River in Midtown. Just like the Lever House, it was known for its "curtain wall" glass construction and helped to popularize the trend in architecture worldwide.
One more Kodachrome slide, this time of the Socony-Mobil Building under construction in the mid 50s - known for being the world's first stainless steel skyscraper.
A look down iconic 5th Avenue in 1956 with a view of the newly topped out 666 5th Avenue. Also visible is the 33 story Esso Building (1947) - the city's first postwar skyscraper.
We conclude with a look across Park Avenue in 1958 with the newly completed Seagram Building in full view. This distinctive bronze coated skyscraper was created by famed architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and its innovative design was truly revolutionary for its time.
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-korver
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