Hearst Tower - view from bottom

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Hearst Tower - view from bottom ( 480x640 )
Hearst Tower is one of the most interestingly shaped buildings in New York City with its triangular framing pattern (also known as a diagrid). It was the first skyscraper to break ground in New York City after the fall of World Trade Center. The building received the 2006 Emporis Skyscraper Award, citing it as the best skyscraper in the world completed that year. It is located at 300 West 57th Street on Eighth Avenue. The tower houses the world headquarters of the Hearst Corporation.

At the base of the tower there is a six storey limestone building – the original headquarters. It was commissioned by the founder, William Randolph Hearst and built by architects Joseph Urban and George P. Post & Sons between 1926 – 1927. There is a two-story base and four stories set back from the base and the design consists of columns and allegorical figures representing music, art, commerce and industry. This part of the building was designated as a Landmark in 1988.

The construction of the tower was planned but postponed due to the Great Depression and it was finally built in 2006, 78 years later. This 46-floors tall addition was designed by architecture firm of Foster and Partners. It is made of steel and glass. The entire building is 182 meters (597 feet) tall.

Hearst Tower was the first green building built in New York City and first to receive Gold LEED certificate. With all its environmental considerations it can save 25 % of energy. To mention some of them, the floor of the atrium is paved with heat conductive limestone, there are polyethylene tubing embedded under the floor and filled with circulating water for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter and rain water is collected in a tank in basement and it is used for watering flowers as well as for water sculpture in the lobby that cools and humidifies the lobby air.
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