Sky Architecture

On this day in 1933, a certain gorilla scaled the Empire State Building. King Kong might have had an easier time if he had taken the lift. This design for the elevator shaft, by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, is held in the Drawing Matter collection.

Lamb Harmon Shreve, Diagram of Elevator Service, Empire State Building, New York City, 1930. Pencil on tracing paper, 750 × 473 mm. DMC 6647.

Here are are more examples of skyscrapers from the collection.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969), Mansion House Sqaure Project, City of London, 1981–1986. Colour Photograph, 300 × 405 mm. DMC 4732.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969), Glass Skyscraper Project (no intended site known), 1922. Gelatin silver print, 393 × 293 mm. DMC 2204.

Theodore Conrad (1910–1994), An early design for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company tower, 1929. Pencil on card, on wooden support, 415 × 90 × 60 mm. DMC 3771.

Theodore Conrad (1910–1994), Model Projections, Archival materials (Conrad, Corbett), 2018. Photograph. DMC .

Theodore Conrad (1910–1994), An early design for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company tower, 1929. Pencil on card, on wooden support, 415 × 90 × 60 mm. DMC 3771.

Louis Kahn (1901–1974), Elevation drawing, The final scheme of the Kansas City Office Building, 1972. Pencil and pastel on paper, 915 × 610 mm. © Estate of the architect..

Louis Kahn (1901–1974), Model Photograph, Kansas City Office Building, 1973. Photograph, 405 × 320 mm. DMC 4589.

Carlos Diniz (1928–2001), Imprint, from spiral-bound album of 11 pages, World Trade Center, New York City, 1963. 358 × 290 mm. DMC 11916.

Carlos Diniz (1928–2001), Imprint, from spiral-bound album of 11 pages, World Trade Center, New York City, 1963. 358 × 290 mm. DMC 11916.

Carlos Diniz (1928–2001), Three renderings from a print portfolio, World Trade Center, New York City, 1963. Print. © Estate of Carlos Diniz..

George Licht, Elevation, 1929. Watercolour, gouache, and airbrush on card, 485 × 342 mm. DMC 2495.

Allen and de Young Architects, Skyscraper 1, 1927. Pencil and trace laid on board, 535 × 315 mm. DMC 2296.1.

Allen and de Young Architects, Skyscraper 2, 1927. Pencil and trace laid on board, 670 × 360 mm. DMC 2296.2.

Allen and de Young Architects, Skyscraper 3, 1927. Pencil and trace laid on board, 360 × 165 mm. DMC 2296.3.