Modern Day Marvels: Three of the World’s Most Impressive Steel Structures
Man is a creature of innovation and adaptation. Ever since the stone age man has been constructing and inventing new and easy ways to live comfortably and sustainably. This is clearly reflected in their modern structures as well; all of which being a result of human ingenuity and hard work.
Using steel, man has created structures of wonder; but not only are they exciting to look at but also safe and future-proof. Let us show you but three of these structures.
The Empire State Building:
In Mid-town, West on Fifth avenue, between west 33rd and 34th street, construction of the Empire State Building was completed in 1931.
The structural steel columns were placed before any other footings. There were four massive columns to be installed in the center of the site, prerecorded and prefabricated. After being delivered and placed, these columns combined supported up to 10 million pounds or 45 lakh kilograms. The 57 thousand short tons of steel was the largest order of steel ever placed at the time.
The building peaked at 1,048 feet, becoming the tallest building in the world at the time.
The Sydney-Harbor Bridge:
Bridge that connects the north to the south and an opera house right next to it, makes for an iconic image of the Australian capital city, Sydney. In 1621, Bernadino Castillo, devotee of Saint Sebastian donated the land upon which the church was built. However, the original wood structure burned down during a Chinese-Filipino uprising in 1651. The structures succeeding the original, made of brick, were also destroyed in earthquakes and fire.
Finally in 1880, Esteban Martinez approached Spanish architect Genaro Palacios to build an earthquake-resistant structure. This new structure was entirely made of steel with a “Neo-Gothic” style. This impressive building is one of a kind, being the only steel building church in the Philippines. And was designated a national landmark in 1973.
se are only Some of the structural marvels by man. And we believe the use of steel detailing and structural steel will bring mankind more of the same, or even better.
~ Brhma Trivedi
