Skyscraper History Essay Research Paper Coursework (Essay Sample)

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Skyscrapers
The very first skyscrapers constructed between the early 19th and 20th Centuries were a variety of commercial, tall buildings, primarily in the US cities of Chicago and New York (Flowers 89). Most cities in America at the time were conventionally made up of low-rise buildings. However, significant economic development following the Civil War and increased use of city territory encouraged the growth of taller buildings starting in the 1870s (Willis 135). Initially, it was Chicago which led the way in skyscraper design. The effort by Chicago to construct skyscrapers was an attempt to balance artistic concerns with realistic commercial design, producing square, large palazzo-designed buildings which hosted different restaurants and shops on the ground level. The upper floors constituted rentable office space (Weisman 201). Therefore, an analysis of major skyscrapers constructed in American cities during the 20th century forms the main area of focus for the paper.
Skyscrapers in New York, unlike those in Chicago, were usually narrower towers designed in diverse styles, and regularly criticized for lack of sophistication. Early skyscrapers appeared in America following economic development, the fiscal organization of the American businesses, and the exhaustive utilization of property (Weisman 90). As already stated, New York was among the centers of early skyscrapers and boasts of a history as a significant seaport situated on the minute island of Manhattan.