#051 l One Liberty Place l PHILADELPHIA l 288m l 61fl

[Jasonhouse]

One Liberty Place
Philadelphia, USA

HEIGHT: 288m/945 feet
FLOORS: 61 floors
COMPLETION: 1987
ARCHITECT: Murphy/Jahn

If built in the 1920s or '30s, a building the same height as Liberty Place would require 40 to 50 pounds of structural steel per square foot. Amazingly this structure at One Liberty Place contains only 23 pounds of structural steel per square foot. Office floors range from 24,000 square feet on the lower floors to a mere 1,300 square feet at the building's peak. In total there are over 1.2 million square feet used as both office and retail space.

To resist lateral wind loads, a system of super-diagonal outriggers was designed. Essentially the eight outriggers, which are at three locations within the structure, transfer wind loads from the building's facade to the core.

The tower is sheathed in a mix of sapphire-blue glass and metal. All four corners are cut away, breaking the square box form. Blue and gray granite piers and horizontal bands occur at one, two, and four-story intervals on the building's facade.

For nearly 100 years no building in Philadelphia dared to challenge the height of City Hall. An unwritten agreement that the statue of William Penn atop the spire on the Hall would remain the highest point of the city kept the skyline free of any structure higher than 491 feet. Willard Rouse, developer of the tower, lobbied for a high-rise zone district in the heart of the city. Although this idea encountered great controversy, the plan for One Liberty Place was eventually approved by virtue of the prospective increase in revenue and jobs. Also it would open the way for even more such buildings.

The facade echoes the popular Art-Deco style first unveiled at the Paris Exposition of 1925. Although it is often compared to William Van Alen's Chrysler Building in New York, Liberty Place displays a more robust body and less ornate crown in addition to containing more modern materials.

[RafflesCity]

8.5/10

The top is its winning point. Very similar to Chrysler. My only wish is that it were a bit slimmer at its base and maybe taller. But this is definitely an excellent building!

[Caledon1981]

one of my favorite towers in the WORLD!!! a rare 10/10 . . if anybody votes this below a 5 im gonna slap them

9/10. I just wish it was a little taller.

[oztraelian]

There seems to be a handful of similar skyscapers (key tower,cleveland, 2 prudential plaza, chicago & bank of america, atlanta) constructed in the wake of this one.

Though obviously influenced by the chrysler bldg, this is the best of the recent 'throwbacks' to chrysler IMO. 9.5/10

[AG]

Very nice, the top is as good as that of 2 Prudential Plaza in Chicago and Chrysler Building in NYC.

9/10

[Ersh]

One of my favorite American buildings.. I love the design for the top! 9/10

I like this one, the only bad thing about it is its base which doesn't look that good. But still a 9/10

[BoresvilleMcYawn]

9.5/10

10/10

[SUNNI]

i love it!

The underwear I'm wearing right now I bought from a store in the base of it. Just thought you should know that.

[JinStuttgart]

I don`t like the top of the tower and the color of the facade, 5/10

[SteelCity32]

I like it. Doesn't look all that well. Still good. 7/10

[cgrassham]

The top is a work of art 9.5/10

[CTroyMathis]

Gotta love the glass, steel, and stone that broke the cap of William H. Penn! 9.

This building shouts,Look at Me.
Philly needed this one. I'll give it a 9 for strength.

Never have liked it that much. It seems benign to me, it lacks that extra "umph".

It's tall though and an icon for Philly. I love Philly

7.5/10

[DrumCorpsAlum]

9.5/10 One of my all time favorites. This is what a skyscraper should be. Have seen it in person too.

[Francis20]

a modernized Chrysler?
7.5/10!