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Speaker 1
Hey, Gemini. I'm recording this for a podcast. Is that okay?
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Speaker 2
That's great. What kind of podcast are you into?
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Speaker 1
Okay, so today, actually, I usually work doing electrical work, but today my boss had us work with his brother doing iron work, and we built a barn to minium the three of us out of, like, big I-beams and girders and stuff like that. Using a tele handler and like a scissor lift. And it actually is pretty cool, is hard work, but I like building things.
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Speaker 1
So it was really fun.
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Speaker 2
Wow, that sounds like a big project. I bet it was satisfying to see it all come together. Do you have any other projects coming up?
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Speaker 1
Well, besides, for the podcast, I really wanted to, talk about the, like, the earliest. What is the earliest use of the term skyscraper?
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Speaker 2
The earliest skyscrapers popped up in Chicago in the late 1800s. They were made possible by new steel production methods and the invention of the elevator. Do you want to know more about the history of skyscrapers, or maybe where some of the oldest one still stand?
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Speaker 1
Now?
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Speaker 1
I never thought about, skyscrapers not really being possible without elevators.
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Speaker 2
That's right. Elevators were crucial. Can you imagine climbing dozens of flights of stairs every day? The first electric elevator was invented in 1880 by Wernher von Siemens, and it really took off from there.
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Speaker 1
Tell me about, like, the early days of the elevator.
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Speaker 2
Well, the earliest elevators were actually around way back in ancient time. They used ropes and police to lift things, but the first passenger elevator wasn't until the mid 1800s. It was steam powered and pretty slow. Then in 1880, Verner von Siemens invented the electric elevator. And that's when things really started to take off.
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Speaker 1
Okay, let's go back to Chicago with the earliest skyscrapers. Can you really just give us kind of a, idea of the birth of the skyscraper and what made it possible in detail?
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Speaker 2
Chicago was the perfect place for skyscrapers to be born after the great Chicago fire of 1871. The city needed to rebuild fast, but land was expensive. That's where the idea of building up came in. They had the new steel and elevator tech, plus a booming economy, so it all just clicked. Do you want to hear about some of the very first skyscrapers they built there?
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Speaker 1
Yes, please.
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Speaker 2
There was the Home Insurance Building, finished in 1885. It was the first to use a steel skeleton, which was a game changer. And then the Rookery building, completed in 1888 with super fancy with its ornate lobby. Would you like to hear about any other early skyscrapers?
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Speaker 1
Initially were people scared to go in such buildings?
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Speaker 2
That's a really interesting question. I can imagine that people were scared to go in such tall buildings, especially when they were first built. Do you want to hear about some of the concerns people had?
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Speaker 1
For the rest of this conversation that we have, I would love for you to lengthen your responses to probably 3 or 4 times what you've been giving. I would like you to be more thorough and detailed in your answers. And don't worry about, being concise.
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Speaker 2
Certainly in the early days of skyscrapers, there were definitely some concerns about safety. People worried about things like fires since buildings were getting so tall. There were also worries about the new steel skeletons. Would they be strong enough to hold up such massive structures? And of course, there was the fear of heights itself, especially when elevators first came along.
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Speaker 2
It took a while for people to get used to the idea of being so high up.
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Speaker 1
I didn't really ever think about the fact that, a fire is a way bigger deal when you're in a skyscraper.
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Speaker 2
But yeah, fire was a huge concern. Imagine being way up high and having to escape a fire. It would be terrifying. That's why they started using things like fireproof materials and sprinklers. They even had special fire escapes outside the buildings. It took a lot of innovation to make skyscrapers safe.
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Speaker 1
Okay, would you what would you consider the very first use of the word skyscraper?
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Speaker 2
That's a fun question. The term skyscraper was first used in the late 1880s, right when those tall buildings were starting to pop up. It was kind of a slang term at first, and people weren't really sure if it was a compliment or not, but it stuck. And now we use it for any building that super tall. Do you want to hear more about how the word became so popular?
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Speaker 1
Yes, please.
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Speaker 2
So the word skyscraper really took off in the late 1880s and early 1890s. At first it was kind of a playful term, but it quickly became the standard way to describe those super tall buildings. It's interesting how a simple word can capture such a big change in how we build.
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Speaker 1
Okay, I like what you're, putting out, but I'd like your responses to be about twice as long as your current ones. What were earlier.
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Speaker 2
I understand. So the word scape.
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Speaker 1
What were early news articles titled about these? Skyscrapers?
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Speaker 2
Early news articles about skyscrapers were a mix of awe and skepticism. Some writers marveled at these towers of steel, praising their height and modern design. Others worried they were unsafe, calling them fire traps and questioning their stability. There was a lot of debate about whether skyscrapers were a sign of progress or a dangerous fad. Would you like to hear more about the public's reaction to skyscrapers?
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Speaker 1
Yes, please.
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Speaker 2
Early news articles about skyscrapers were a mix of awe and skepticism.
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Speaker 1
Okay, Marvel. That is. You're just going over what you just said. What was the first skyscraper?
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Speaker 2
The Home Insurance Building in Chicago, finished in 1885, is widely considered the world's first skyscraper. It was the first tall building to use a steel skeleton, which allowed for much greater height and window space than ever before.
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Speaker 1
Which tell me about, what did it cost?
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Speaker 2
The home insurance building cost about $1.7 million to build. That's over $50 million in today's money.
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Speaker 1
And how tall was it?
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Speaker 2
The home insurance building was 138ft tall. That's about 14 stories.
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Speaker 1
And how tall were, the tallest buildings before that?
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Speaker 2
Before skyscrapers. Buildings were usually no more than a few stories tall. The tallest was the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, which was ten storeys high.
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Speaker 1
I think you just said it was like 14 stories. Or is it ten stories plus the rest of the height?
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Speaker 2
The home insurance building was 138ft tall, which is about 14 stories. Before that, buildings were typically much shorter, around ten stories or less.
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Speaker 1
Okay, so was a home insurance building ten stories or 14 stories?
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Speaker 2
The home insurance building was 138ft tall, which is about 14 stories.
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Speaker 1
Okay. Can you tell me about the production of this building? Did anybody die during the production?
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Speaker 2
Construction of the home insurance building was a pretty big deal at the time, but thankfully there aren't any records of worker deaths during the project. They were pretty careful about safety. Even back then.
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Speaker 1
What was the most advanced bridge in America at the time?
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Speaker 2
That's a fun question. The term skyscraper was first used in the late 1880s, right when those tall buildings were starting to pop up. It was kind of a slang term at first, and people weren't really sure if it was a compliment or not, but it stuck. And now we use it for any building that super tall. Do you want to hear more about how the word became so popular?
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Speaker 1
No, I want to know about, in the 1880s, what was the newest, most advanced bridge? It. We had.
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Speaker 2
The Brooklyn Bridge, which opened in 1883, was considered incredibly advanced for its time. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world then, and used innovative steel wire cables. The Eads Bridge in Saint Louis, completed in 1874, was also a marvel, using steel arches for its main span.
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Speaker 1
Tell me about the Brooklyn Bridge and its construction.
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Speaker 2
The Brooklyn Bridge took 14 years to build. Starting in 1869 and finally opening in 1883, it was a massive project with a lot of challenges, but it was a huge success.
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Speaker 1
Okay, let's go back to the skyscrapers. I don't want to get distracted. Tell me about the, the tools used. Let's let's do this. Let's, let's go in the shoes of a character named Andrew. And he is a construction worker in 18, 78, working on the or 1884, working on the home insurance building. Can you take me through his day from his perspective?
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Speaker 2
All right. Let's imagine you're Andrew, a construction worker in 1884. You'd probably start your day early, maybe around 6 a.m., and head to the site. The air would be filled with the clang of hammers on steel, the rumble of steam engines powering the hoists, and the shouts of your fellow workers. Safety wouldn't be as big of a deal as it is now.
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Speaker 2
You might see guys walking along narrow beams high above the ground with no harnesses, and the risk of falling would be a constant worry. The work would be tough with long hours and heavy lifting. You'd be using hand tools and basic machinery, and there'd be a lot of teamwork to get things done. Building a skyscraper was a new thing, so everyone would be figuring it out as they went.
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Speaker 2
It'd be tiring, but also pretty exciting to be a part of history. Does this give you a good sense of what it might have been like?
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Speaker 1
Yeah. A bit. How many, construction workers worked on the home insurance building project?
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Speaker 2
That's a great question. It's hard to say exactly how many workers were on the home insurance building project. Construction companies back then didn't keep the same kind of records we do today, but we know it was a big group. There were probably hundreds of men involved, doing everything from digging the foundation to hoisting those massive steel beams into place.
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Speaker 2
Can you imagine the teamwork it took to build something so tall?
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Speaker 1
Yeah, it was hard to do that kind of work today with all the equipment that we have. Granted, it went up way quicker than it probably would have back then. But what kind of can you tell me about the steam engine hoists?
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Speaker 2
The steam powered hoists were amazing for their time, but they were also pretty dangerous. Imagine a big, noisy machine lifting heavy steel beams high above the city, powered by a coal fired boiler. There was always a risk of the cables snapping or the whole thing tipping over. It took a lot of skill to operate those hoist.
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Speaker 1
Jim and I, can you pick back up? You were talking about the steam powered hoists.
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Speaker 2
If we think about the time period a bit before the home insurance building, the Elisha Otis Elevator Company was a major player. They were known for making elevators safer with a special brake system. And then right around, when the home insurance building was going up, a German inventor named Verner von Siemens came out with the first electric elevator.
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Speaker 2
That was a game changer because it meant elevators could go even higher, which was perfect for the new skyscrapers.
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Speaker 1
Okay, before we go in the elevators, can you tell me about the steam engine hoists?
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Speaker 2
The steam powered hoists were amazing for their time, but they were also pretty dangerous. Imagine a big, noisy machine lifting heavy steel beams high above the city, powered by a coal fired boiler. There was always a risk of the cable snapping or the whole thing tipping over. It took a lot of skill to operate those hoists safely.
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Speaker 1
What are the kind of, tools and technology that they use?
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Speaker 2
They used a lot of basic tools like hammers, chisels and hand drill for lifting heavy stuff. They had cranes powered by steam engines. It was all pretty simple compared to the fancy equipment they have today.
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Speaker 1
Can you tell me about the handrails that they had?
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Speaker 2
Handrails back them were pretty simple. They were usually made of wood and metal, and you had to turn a crank to make the drill bit spin. It took a lot of muscle to drill through tough material like wood or metal.
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Speaker 1
You know, I couldn't imagine having to drill through an IBM using a handrail.
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Speaker 2
Yeah, it would be tough. You'd have to use a lot of muscle to turn that crank, and it would take forever to drill through anything thick. Plus, there was always a risk of slipping and hurting yourself.
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Speaker 1
Okay, let's talk about the invention of the electric elevator.
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Speaker 2
The electric elevator was a game changer for skyscrapers. It was invented in 1880 by Wernher von Siemens, and it was much faster and smoother than the old steam powered ones. Plus, it was safer because it didn't need a big, noisy engine in the basement.
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Speaker 1
But they had, steam elevators before electric elevators.
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Speaker 2
Yet before electric elevators, they had steam powered ones. They were pretty slow and jerky, and they needed a whole engine room in the basement. Plus, there was always a risk of the cable snapping.
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Speaker 1
And, did somebody, like, tend to the boiler that ran these steam elevators?
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Speaker 2
Yeah, the steam elevators were pretty dangerous. There was always a risk of the cables breaking, and they could be really jerky. Plus, they needed a whole engine room in the basement, which wasn't ideal.
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Speaker 1
What kind of places had steam engine elevators?
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Speaker 2
Steam elevators were common in factories, warehouses, and hotels. They were also used in some office buildings, but they weren't ideal for tall buildings because they were slow and inefficient.
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Speaker 1
So let's say there is a steam engine elevator in a hotel. What are the logistics of keeping that running?
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Speaker 2
Okay, so imagine a hotel with a steam elevator. You'd need a whole engine room in the basement with a coal fired boiler to power it. Then you'd have an elevator operator like a bellhop to control the speed and make sure people got to the right floor. It would be pretty slow and probably a bit noisy and jerky. Does that sound like a fun ride?
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Speaker 1
So is the way that it works? Is this coal fired boiler, runs a, cable that's constantly running, and then the elevator, like, grabs on to it. Or does it, kind of start up a pulley?
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Speaker 2
That's right. The coal fired boiler would heat water to create steam, and that steam would power a big engine connected to a winding drum. Think of it like a giant spool of thread, a thick cable wrapped around the drum. And as the drum turned, the cable would move the elevator car up or down. So the cable was always moving and the elevator car would grab on to it.
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Speaker 2
When needed.
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Speaker 1
Okay. Tell me about where after the home insurance building and the Mercury Building in Chicago, what were the next skyscrapers to spring up?
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Speaker 2
After the home insurance building and the work rebuilding in Chicago. The skyscraper boom really took off. New York City started building some impressive.
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Speaker 1
Gemini. And can you pick up where you left off with the skyscraper? The early skyscraper boom. After the home insurance building and Mercury building in Chicago?
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Speaker 2
Right. So after those early Chicago skyscrapers, the race to build taller buildings really heated up in New York City. They started putting up some giants, like the World Building, which was the tallest for a while, and then the Manhattan Life Insurance Building. Chicago wasn't about to be outdone, though, and they kept building their own impressive skyscrapers. It was a pretty exciting time for architecture.
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Speaker 1
Can you give me kind of a timeline of, in succession of this kind of competition between Chicago and New York City and kind of give me details about like, oh, well, New York built the time in life building or whatever by the world building. And it was, it was 100 stories. And this is a cool fact about it.
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Speaker 1
And then and then Chicago, like, started building this building, and it was this.
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Speaker 2
Okay, here's a quick timeline of the skyscraper competition between Chicago and New York. Chicago kicked things off with the Home Insurance Building in 1885, which was the first skyscraper to use a steel frame. Then New York jumped in with the World Building in 1890, which was the tallest at the time. It had this cool gold dome on top.
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Speaker 2
After that, it was back and forth with both cities building taller and taller. By the early 1900s, New York was really taking the lead. But Chicago wasn't giving up. It was a pretty exciting race to the top.
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Speaker 1
Okay, so when did New York kind of take the, take take the belt on? The biggest skyscrapers.
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Speaker 2
In New York City really took the lead in the early 1900s. They built the Singer Building in 1908, which was the tallest office building in the world for a bit. Then came the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company tower in 1909, which was even taller. It was around this time that New York started to become the skyscraper capital of the world.
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Speaker 1
Okay. And then, give me a timeline after that.
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Speaker 2
After the Metropolitan Life Tower, things got really interesting. In 1913, New York built the Woolworth Building, which was the tallest in the world for a while. Then came the Chrysler Building in 1930 with its amazing Art Deco style. Just a year later, the Empire State Building took the crown. It was like they were playing a game of leapfrog with the sky.
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Speaker 1
Okay. Can you give me, the progression of the New York skyline with dates and, story, like, height, maybe. And so I can kind of get an idea of, like, what? That look like.
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Speaker 2
Sure. The Singer Building was finished in 1908 and had 47 stories. The Metropolitan Life Tower was completed in 1909 with 50 stories. Then the Woolworth Building was finished in 1913 and had 57 stories. The Chrysler Building was built in 1930 with 77 stories, and the Empire State Building was completed in 1931 with 102 stories.
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Speaker 1
Okay, let's swing back kind of towards the building process for these skyscrapers. Because that's what really interests me. Can you give me maybe. Let's go through. Let's start with the home insurance building. The first skyscraper ever built. And I believe that the key milestones with that is, steel beams and elevators. Can you kind of jump ahead to the next key milestone in skyscraper production?
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Speaker 1
Evolution?
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Speaker 2
Okay, so after the home insurance building, things moved pretty quickly. The Rand McNally building in Chicago was finished in 1890 and was the first all steel frame skyscraper. Then in 1894, the Reliance Building was completed, also in Chicago, and it was famous for its large plate glass windows. Each of these buildings push the limits of what was possible, and they paved the way for the even taller skyscrapers that came later.
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Speaker 1
Okay. After the plate glass milestone, what was, what was the next one?
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Speaker 2
A big milestone was the invention of the safety elevator by Elisha Otis in 1852. This made tall buildings much more practical because people could move between floors easily. Then in 1888, the first electric elevator was installed, which was even faster and smoother.
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Speaker 1
Tell me about this safety elevator.
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Speaker 2
The safety elevator was a huge deal. Before that, elevators were scary because if the cable broke, you'd fall. Elisha Otis invented a special brake that would catch the elevator if the cable snapped. He even did a demo at the World's Fair in 1854, where he cut the cable himself to show it worked.
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Speaker 1
Okay, so we've got first all steel building plate glass. Let's go. In chronological order, we've got the elevator. What's the next milestone?
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Speaker 2
Well, another huge leap forward was the Rand McNally building in Chicago, completed in 1890. It was the first skyscraper to use an all steel frame. This meant they could build even taller and stronger than before.
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Speaker 1
Okay. All right. Well, we did that one and all steel frame. And then there was one after that that had a bunch of plate glass windows. What was that one?
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Speaker 2
That was the Reliance Building, finished in 1894. It had huge plate glass windows that let in tons of natural light. It was a pretty modern design for its time.
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Speaker 1
Okay, well, 1894, let's jump ahead a few years and, check out the next milestone.
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Speaker 2
After the reliance building. The next big milestone was the American Surety building in New York City, completed in 1896. It was one of the first skyscrapers to use caisson foundations, which allowed for much deeper and more stable foundations. This meant they could build even taller and heavier buildings on less stable ground.
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Speaker 1
What is a case on, foundation? Can you give me kind of just a brief description of it so we can kind of get an idea.
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Speaker 2
Caisson foundations are basically like giant watertight boxes that are sunk deep into the ground. They're used when you need to build on soft or waterlogged soil. The caissons are filled with concrete, and the building's weight is distributed evenly across them, making it super stable.
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Speaker 1
How deep to these go?
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Speaker 2
Caissons can go really deep, sometimes over 100ft. It just depends on how stable the ground is below. The deeper they go, the more stable the building will be.
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Speaker 1
Okay, so we are at 1896. Let's come up a couple of years or, maybe a decade or whatever, and jump to the next milestone.
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Speaker 2
Okay. So in 1908, the Singer Building in New York City was completed. It was the tallest building in the world at the time with 47 storeys. It had this really unique design, like a giant sewing machine, needle reaching for the sky.
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Speaker 1
Let's, let's focus on the build process and the tools used. Maybe, or maybe not necessarily the tools used, but like the ingenuity behind the buildings. All right. Let's go, 1908. Let's go past that.
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Speaker 2
Okay, so after the singer building builders were really pushing the limits of what was possible. They started using reinforced concrete for even stronger foundations, and they got really good at hoisting those massive steel beams into place. It was like they were solving a giant puzzle, figuring out how to make these buildings taller and more stable.
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Speaker 1
Okay. When did they come up with that?
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Speaker 2
They figured out that by using a mix of concrete and steel bars, they could create beams and columns that were way stronger than concrete alone. This meant they could build taller and with more open spaces inside. It was a big step towards the modern skyscrapers we see today.
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Speaker 1
Okay, can you give me an idea of the milestones that maybe happened in the 20s?
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Speaker 2
The 1920s were a wild time for skyscrapers. They started using a new kind of steel frame that was even stronger. And they got really good at prefabricated parts off site and then putting them together like a giant Lego set. This made construction way faster.
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Speaker 1
Tell me about this new type of steel frame.
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Speaker 2
They started using a special kind of steel frame called the rigid frame. It was like a super strong skeleton for the building, made of steel beams, connected in a way that made the whole structure much stiffer. This meant they could build taller without worrying about the building swaying too much in the wind.
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Speaker 1
Okay, hit us with the next big milestone in skyscraper ingenuity production.
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Speaker 2
The big trend in the 1920s was building higher and higher. The Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building were both built during this time, and they were the tallest buildings in the world for a while. They used really strong steel frames and lots of concrete to reach those incredible heights.
00;29;14;06 - 00;29;24;10
Speaker 1
Tell me a little bit about the production of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.
00;29;24;12 - 00;29;46;20
Speaker 2
The Empire State Building was built in record time just over a year. They used a really efficient system where parts were prefabricated off site and then assembled quickly. The Chrysler Building took a bit longer, but it's famous for its beautiful Art Deco details. Both buildings were a huge achievement in engineering and design.
00;29;46;22 - 00;30;21;20
Speaker 1
Okay, so let's go into the shoes of Andrew's grandson. And he is also an ironworker that works on this. Working on, the Empire State Building. Can you put us in his shoes in first person perspective? Present tense. And he is going just to a normal day at work.
00;30;21;22 - 00;30;38;25
Speaker 2
Okay, so you're Andrew's grandson. Let's call you Andy. It's 1930, and you're working on the Empire State Building. You wake up before dawn, grab a quick bite, and head to the site. The city is buzzing with excitement about this new skyscraper. You ride the elevator up, feeling the wind pick up as you get higher. The view is insane.
00;30;39;00 - 00;30;55;02
Speaker 2
You can see for miles. You meet up with your crew and the foreman briefs you on the day's work. You're part of the team hoisting these massive steel beams into place. It's dangerous work, but you're used to it. You climb up onto the beams, feeling the wind tug at you, and get ready to guide the next beam into position.
00;30;55;05 - 00;31;00;21
Speaker 2
It's a rush being part of something so huge.
00;31;00;24 - 00;31;06;10
Speaker 1
How are we hoisting these things?
00;31;06;12 - 00;31;21;00
Speaker 2
They use these massive cranes, kind of like giant metal arms to lift the beams into the air. Then the ironworkers guys like you would climb up onto the skeleton of the building and guide the beams into place. It was a crazy mix of precision and brute force.
00;31;21;03 - 00;31;33;15
Speaker 1
Okay, so this is a time where, like, the automobile is just, like, barely brand new. Can you tell me about how these massive cranes work?
00;31;33;17 - 00;31;50;13
Speaker 2
These cranes were pretty amazing for their time. They were powered by gasoline engines and could lift these huge steel beams way up in the air. It was a slow process, but they could move a lot of weight. They'd use a system of cables and pulleys to get the beams exactly where they needed to go.
00;31;50;15 - 00;31;55;23
Speaker 1
And then how do they secure these?
00;31;55;26 - 00;32;10;19
Speaker 2
They had these huge counterweights on the cranes, kind of like giant dumbbells that balanced out the weight of the steel beams. This kept the crane from tipping over. They also had a system of brakes and clutches that let them control the movement of the beam. Really? Precisely.
00;32;10;22 - 00;32;17;18
Speaker 1
Yeah. And how do they secure the beams?
00;32;17;20 - 00;32;32;05
Speaker 2
They had a whole system of signals and whistles to communicate. It was pretty dangerous work. So everyone had to be on the same page. The crane operator would watch for signals from the iron workers on the beam, and they'd use hand signals and whistles to tell him where to move the beam.
00;32;32;07 - 00;32;39;28
Speaker 1
Know physically what kind of hardware did they use? Or did they weld?
00;32;40;00 - 00;32;53;22
Speaker 2
They used rivets to connect the steel beams. It was a noisy, dangerous job. They'd heat up the rivets until they were glowing red hot, then toss them to the iron workers who would hammer them into place. It was like something out of a blacksmith shop, but on a massive scale.
00;32;53;25 - 00;33;11;08
Speaker 1
Okay, this is really interesting. Can you kind of take me into the shoes of the people doing this rivet work and, like, how did they heat these things and how did they pound them in?
00;33;11;11 - 00;33;30;21
Speaker 2
It was incredibly dangerous. The rivets were white hot, and they had to catch them in mid-air with these special bucket. If they missed, the rivet could fall hundreds of feet. The noise was deafening and the heat was intense. They wore thick gloves and leather aprons for protection. But accidents happened. It took a lot of skill and courage to do that kind of work.
00;33;30;23 - 00;33;41;27
Speaker 1
How did they heat these? I guess rivets.
00;33;42;00 - 00;33;46;29
Speaker 1
Gemini. How did they heat the rivets?
00;33;47;02 - 00;34;03;06
Speaker 2
They had a couple of ways to do it. Sometimes they'd use a coal fired forge right there on the platform, which was pretty dangerous. Other times, they'd heat the rivets on the ground and then toss them up in the air to the guys working above. It was all pretty risky, but they got it done.
00;34;03;08 - 00;34;12;20
Speaker 1
I imagine if you're working on, like, the 80th floor, you can't just toss it up.
00;34;12;22 - 00;34;26;24
Speaker 2
Yeah, exactly. For the higher floors, they'd use a special elevator to bring the rivets up. It was basically a small platform that could carry the rivets and the workers. They'd loaded up on the ground floor, send it up, and then the workers would grab the rivets and get to work.
00;34;26;27 - 00;34;38;27
Speaker 1
Right. And they use these coal fired forges, like, on the platforms that they just built. And, and then take me from there.
00;34;38;29 - 00;34;51;17
Speaker 2
Yeah. They'd set up these forges right on the steel beam, which was pretty wild. They'd get the rivets glowing red hot and then toss them to the workers who would hammer them into place. It was like a crazy dance of fire and steel.
00;34;51;19 - 00;35;27;04
Speaker 1
So, kind of put me in the shoes of, let's say Andy is on rivet duty today, and he's the one pounding them in. Can you give me a detailed description with vivid imagery about, him catching one of these white hot rivets? What tool he uses uses a bucket, and then he, like, I don't, however, this process happened.
00;35;27;07 - 00;35;44;00
Speaker 2
Okay, so you're Andy, and you're up on the steel beam, ready to catch some rivets. You see the heater guy? Grab one with his tongue. It's glowing white hot. He gives you a nod and you get ready. Whoosh! He tosses it and it's coming right at you. You swing your bucket, catch it, and then quickly dump it into your partner's bucket.
00;35;44;02 - 00;35;54;12
Speaker 2
He grabs it with his tongs and jams it into the hole. And you start hammering. Clang clang clang. The sound echoes all around. It's hot, noisy work, but you're getting it done.
00;35;54;14 - 00;36;11;00
Speaker 1
Okay, so how did these, rivets work from, like, a physics and engineering perspective, where they just like dowels that you hammered in and then, like, flattened them on either side.
00;36;11;02 - 00;36;27;06
Speaker 2
Yeah, that's pretty much it. The rivet was basically a cylinder with a head on one end. You'd heat it up until it was glowing hot. Flip it through the holes in the steel plates and then hammer the other end flat to form a second head. As the rivet cooled, it would shrink a little, which made the whole joint super tight and strong.
00;36;27;09 - 00;36;42;12
Speaker 1
Did you have to hit both ends at the same time, or is there a way of like clamping on the rivet head to the beam and then you hit it on the other side?
00;36;42;15 - 00;36;52;24
Speaker 2
You usually have one guy holding a heavy hammer against the factory made head of the rivet, while another guy hammered the other end flat. It took a lot of coordination and muscle.
00;36;52;27 - 00;37;06;02
Speaker 1
Cool. Can you, can you describe the, process in detail with kind of what's happening around?
00;37;06;04 - 00;37;22;21
Speaker 2
Okay, so imagine if you're up on the 80th floor, the wind whipping around you, and there's this deafening roar of the city. You grab a white hot rivet from the bucket, and it's almost too hot to hold. You flip it through the steel plates, and your partner slams his hammer against the head to hold it steady. Then you start hammering the other end.
00;37;22;23 - 00;37;35;08
Speaker 2
Clang clang clang. Sparks are flying everywhere and the whole building shaking. It's a crazy intense dance of fire and steel.
00;37;35;11 - 00;38;03;18
Speaker 1
Okay, so let's move on from the Empire State Building. That rivet thing was pretty cool. I never really thought about that. Now, every time I, like, look at a rivet on, like, the Brooklyn Bridge or like, the Golden Gate Bridge or something like that, or like an old building. I'll think of that. What was another milestone after the Empire State Building?
00;38;03;21 - 00;38;20;10
Speaker 2
After the Empire State Building. Things got even more interesting. They started using lighter materials like aluminum and stainless steel, which allowed for more daring designs. They also got better at wind tunnel testing, which helped them understand how to make buildings more stable and strong winds.
00;38;20;12 - 00;38;24;18
Speaker 1
Okay. Go on.
00;38;24;20 - 00;38;30;05
Speaker 2
So after the Empire State Building, they started using lighter materials like aluminum and stainless steel gimbals.
00;38;30;08 - 00;38;42;05
Speaker 1
Just that. What what, What building? Beat out the Empire State Building as the tallest building in the world.
00;38;42;07 - 00;38;54;16
Speaker 2
The Empire State Building held the title of world's tallest building for a long time, but it was eventually surpassed by the World Trade Center in 1970.
00;38;54;18 - 00;39;06;18
Speaker 1
Well, it's pretty interesting that between like 19, what was the Empire State Building built? SH.
00;39;06;21 - 00;39;15;26
Speaker 2
After the Empire State Building. The next big milestone was the World Trade Center in New York City. So it was like pleated in 1973 and became the tallest building in the world at the time.
00;39;15;29 - 00;39;25;27
Speaker 1
So that's like 40 years or so that the Empire State Building was the tallest building in the entire world.
00;39;26;00 - 00;39;35;12
Speaker 2
Yeah, it was the tallest for about 40 years. It's pretty amazing how quickly they built it, especially compared to how long it takes to build skyscrapers today.
00;39;35;15 - 00;39;42;24
Speaker 1
How long does it take to build skyscrapers today?
00;39;42;26 - 00;40;01;07
Speaker 2
It depends on the size and complexity of the building, but generally it takes several years to build a skyscraper today. There's a lot more planning and engineering involved now. Plus, all the modern safety regulations.
00;40;01;10 - 00;40;22;01
Speaker 1
Okay, so, I guess the World Trade Center is probably its own episode after the World Trade Center in 1970. What was the tallest building in the world after that?
00;40;22;03 - 00;40;35;20
Speaker 2
After the World Trade Center, the next tallest building was the Willis Tower in Chicago. It was finished in 1974 and held the title for over 20 years.
00;40;35;22 - 00;40;42;14
Speaker 1
Okay. And then after that.
00;40;42;16 - 00;40;55;25
Speaker 2
After the Willis Tower, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, took the crown in 1998. They were the tallest until Taipei 101 came along in 2004.
00;40;55;27 - 00;41;04;10
Speaker 1
The Taipei 101 is the one that has like a counterweight inside of it, right?
00;41;04;13 - 00;41;16;22
Speaker 2
Yep. Taipei 101 has a huge tuned mass damper, kind of like a giant pendulum to keep it stable during earthquakes and typhoons. It's a pretty amazing piece of engineering.
00;41;16;24 - 00;41;33;10
Speaker 1
Okay, I know a little bit about this, but, for anybody who might not know what the hell we're talking about, can you give, like, a detailed description of what this is and what purpose it serves?
00;41;33;12 - 00;41;57;06
Speaker 2
Sure. So Taipei 101 is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes, which are common in Taiwan. The tuned mass damper is basically a huge 728 ton steel ball suspended near the top of the building. It acts like a counterweight, swaying in the opposite direction of the building to offset movement caused by strong winds or seismic activity. It's kind of like a giant shock absorber.
00;41;57;09 - 00;42;04;08
Speaker 1
Okay, so when you say it's tuned, what does that mean?
00;42;04;10 - 00;42;25;04
Speaker 2
Tuned in this case means that the damper is specifically designed to counteract the building's natural swaying motion. Engineers carefully calculate the dampers weight, size, and movement to perfectly offset the forces acting on the building. It's like tuning a musical instrument to a specific pitch. They're making sure the damper is in harmony with the building movement.
00;42;25;06 - 00;42;34;00
Speaker 1
How big is this mass damper in size and in weight?
00;42;34;02 - 00;42;48;16
Speaker 2
The tuned mass damper in Taipei 101 is massive. It's a 728 tonne steel sphere that's about 18ft in diameter. That's almost as wide as a school bus as long.
00;42;48;18 - 00;42;57;01
Speaker 1
Is it solid steel or does it have, like, concrete or something in it?
00;42;57;03 - 00;43;06;09
Speaker 2
It's made of 41 layers of stacked steel plates. So it's solid steel all the way through. Can you imagine how much that weighs?
00;43;06;12 - 00;43;15;09
Speaker 1
Why did they go? Why did they decide to do it? All steel.
00;43;15;11 - 00;43;29;15
Speaker 2
Steel is incredibly strong and dense. Which is exactly what you need for a damper that size. It allows the ball to have a lot of mass in a relatively small space, making it really effective at counteracting the building movement.
00;43;29;17 - 00;43;47;06
Speaker 1
Okay, after the Taipei 101, what was the next tallest? Or not the next size? But like, what was the building after Taipei 101 to be the largest building in the world?
00;43;47;09 - 00;43;59;09
Speaker 2
After Taipei 101. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai became the tallest building in the world. It was completed in 2010 and is still the tallest today.
00;43;59;11 - 00;44;08;26
Speaker 1
Okay, can you tell me about this building and its construction?
00;44;08;28 - 00;44;27;18
Speaker 2
The Burj Khalifa is a super tall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and is the centerpiece of downtown Dubai. Construction of the Burj Khalifa began in 2004, with the exterior completed in 2009. The primary structure is reinforced concrete.
00;44;27;20 - 00;44;32;21
Speaker 1
How tall is it?
00;44;32;23 - 00;44;45;01
Speaker 2
The Burj Khalifa is a whopping 2717ft tall. That's over half a mile high. It has more than 160 habitable floors. Can you believe it?
00;44;45;03 - 00;44;57;12
Speaker 1
And, what does this building consist of? Like business or like, who occupies this building?
00;44;57;15 - 00;45;14;01
Speaker 2
The Burj Khalifa is a mixed use building, so it has a little bit of everything. There's the Armani Hotel on the lower floors, then residences and finally corporate suites up top. There's also an observation deck where you can get some amazing views of the city.
00;45;14;03 - 00;45;20;08
Speaker 1
So it's largely residences.
00;45;20;10 - 00;45;29;24
Speaker 2
The Burj Khalifa is mostly residential, but it also has the Armani hotel, corporate offices and restaurants. It's a real mix of uses.
00;45;29;27 - 00;45;37;28
Speaker 1
I mean, a building that big, you have to have, like, shops and restaurants and stuff like that.
00;45;38;00 - 00;45;50;10
Speaker 2
Yeah, a building that, like, needs a lot to keep it running. The Burj Khalifa has its own dedicated power substations, water tanks and even a district cooling plant to keep things comfortable. It's like a mini city inside a building.
00;45;50;13 - 00;45;57;18
Speaker 1
Do they not have earthquakes where that exists?
00;45;57;20 - 00;46;10;11
Speaker 2
Dubai is in a pretty stable part of the world. So earthquakes aren't really a concern there. They did design the Burj Khalifa to withstand strong winds, though, which are more common in the area.
00;46;10;13 - 00;46;20;21
Speaker 1
Okay. Tell me some, like, fun facts, like unique things about the Burj Khalifa.
00;46;20;24 - 00;46;39;11
Speaker 2
Sure. The Burj Khalifa is so tall that you can see the sunset twice from the top, once from the ground, and then again a few minutes later from the highest point. Also, the building's elevators travel at almost 40mph, making them some of the fastest in the world. It's a pretty incredible place.
00;46;39;14 - 00;46;48;13
Speaker 1
Okay, that was really cool. Can you give me, like, five more things like that?
00;46;48;15 - 00;47;08;24
Speaker 2
Okay, here's a few more. The Burj Khalifa has the world's highest nightclub on the 144th floor, and the spire at the top can be seen from 60 miles away. It also has the world's highest swimming pool on the 76th floor. It's truly a record breaking building.
00;47;08;26 - 00;47;17;12
Speaker 1
What is your, favorite thing about the Burj Khalifa?
00;47;17;14 - 00;47;31;11
Speaker 2
My favorite thing about the Burj Khalifa is definitely the sheer scale of it. It's almost impossible to wrap your head around how tall it is. I'd love to hear what you think about it. Does anything about the building particularly amaze you?
00;47;31;13 - 00;47;37;23
Speaker 1
I really enjoyed it in the Mission Impossible.
00;47;37;25 - 00;47;48;19
Speaker 2
That's so cool that you saw the Burj Khalifa in Mission Impossible. It definitely adds to the drama and excitement of the movie. Do you have a favorite scene that features the building?
00;47;48;22 - 00;47;56;11
Speaker 1
Can you tell me your favorite thing about the Empire State Building?
00;47;56;14 - 00;48;08;18
Speaker 2
My favorite thing about the Empire State Building is its classic Art Deco design. It's such an iconic part of the New York City skyline, and it really captures the spirit of the 1930s. What's your favorite thing about it?
00;48;08;21 - 00;48;33;08
Speaker 1
I really like when because I lived in Chelsea at 23rd and ninth, so I could walk out to the corner and see, when it lights up the top and it. Sometimes you can't even see it. Sometimes you can, like, see the light through the fog and or the or the clouds and stuff like that is really cool.
00;48;33;11 - 00;48;46;13
Speaker 2
That's a great point. The way the lights on the Empire State Building interact with the fog and clouds is really something special. It gives the building this mysterious, almost ethereal quality. What a cool sight to see on your walk.
00;48;46;16 - 00;49;07;28
Speaker 1
Okay. Before we sign off today, I just want to say thank you. And I really enjoyed this conversation. I like learning about building and stuff like that. But, what is your favorite skyscraper? And, tell me, fun thing about it.
00;49;08;00 - 00;49;26;03
Speaker 2
I really enjoyed this conversation, too. Skyscrapers are so fascinating. My favorite is probably the Chrysler Building in New York City. It has this amazing art Deco style, and that spire on top is just iconic. Did you know it was briefly the tallest building in the world when it was finished in 1930?
00;49;26;05 - 00;49;47;03
Speaker 1
Okay, that is something that we already knew. I would like you to pick something unique and novel and maybe kind of, unique to like you, the way you think about the Chrysler Building. And share it.
00;49;47;05 - 00;50;02;28
Speaker 2
Okay. Here's one. The Chrysler Building spire was actually assembled in secret inside the building. No one knew what it would look like until it was dramatically revealed in 1930. The way the light catches all those stainless steel details is just stunning.
00;50;03;00 - 00;50;08;29
Speaker 1
Okay, I think that's a good place to start. Thanks, Gemini.
00;50;09;02 - 00;50;18;03
Speaker 2
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed learning about skyscrapers. There's such an amazing part of our world peace.