Cass Gilbert's Woolworth BuildingMain MenuIntroductionArchitectural Drawings of the Woolworth BuildingThese pages contain original architectural drawings from Vanderbilt University Fine Art Gallery's Reiman Collection, completed by Cass Gilbert's architectural office between 1911 and 1913.Architectural ComparisonsConstructionContemporary ReactionsEngineeringHistorical ContextRepresentations of the Woolworth Building in Visual Art and LiteratureSkyscraper StyleUrban ContextBibliographyEllen Dement42442c14bff120b6e83827404fe0b851fdc8a6df
Noble Commercialism: Woolworth and PSFS Buildings as Progenitors of Skyscraper Architecture
1media/psfs-vertical.jpg2017-12-15T21:13:17-08:00Benjamin Shef14d9fc2a85fed6e4be9a94e8cceaa38cc97ecfd146344plain3850632017-12-15T21:43:12-08:00Benjamin Shef14d9fc2a85fed6e4be9a94e8cceaa38cc97ecfdThe construction of the Woolworth Building can simultaneously be seen as the culmination of architect Cass Gilbert’s foray into the Gothic Revival style as applied to skyscrapers, and the forerunner of the following decade’s Skyscraper Gothic motif that led to the full-blown Art Deco style of skyscraper construction. Similarly, the PSFS Building in Philadelphia was conceived after a decade’s worth of early European Modernism, which helped set the stage for the flourishing of International style skyscrapers in the postwar period. Secondly, the two buildings are manifestations of each corporation’s personal vision as relates to their guiding philosophy in conducting business, and each found it instructive to capitalize on the real estate afforded by the generous floorplans to supplement their revenue. Lastly, the buildings were and are central to understanding how the public perceived and reacted to growing urbanity and ever more daring skyscraper styles, ultimately influencing the identity of their respective cities by becoming integral assets and fixtures in the public perception. This paper aims to present Woolworth and PSFS as near-contemporaries, spaced a mere 19 years apart, to give insight into why skyscrapers like these enter the standard lexicon of American architecture ahead of the others.
