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• 1 media/psfs-vertical.jpg 2017-12-15T21:13:17-08:00 Noble Commercialism: Woolworth and PSFS Buildings as Progenitors of Skyscraper Architecture 7 plain 385063 2017-12-27T15:18:09-08:00 The construction of the Woolworth Building in New York City 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, Pennsylvania, 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. Furthermore, both buildings are manifestations of their corporations' personal visions as relates to their guiding philosophy in conducting business, and both companies found it advantageous to capitalize on the real estate afforded by the generous floor plans 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 others.
  
  Benjamin She