Socony-Mobil Building, International Style skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, United States
Description
The Socony-Mobil Building is a slender skyscraper with a gleaming stainless steel exterior that dominates the midtown skyline. Its facade consists of over 7,000 embossed steel panels paired with blue glass sections at the base, creating a uniformly textured and highly reflective surface.
History
Completed in 1956 by Harrison & Abramovitz, it was the first skyscraper in the world with a complete stainless steel exterior wall. This pioneering construction set new standards for postwar corporate architecture and transformed how companies approached tall building design.
Culture
The facade with its geometric patterns reflects a design philosophy that treats beauty and function as equally important in the workplace. Visitors can observe how light plays differently across the various surface textures, giving the building a constantly shifting appearance throughout the day.
Practical
The building sits at 150 East 42nd Street between Lexington and Third Avenues, making it easily accessible by public transportation from anywhere in the city. You can view and photograph its facade from street level without needing to enter the building itself.
Did you know?
The steel panels of the facade feature four distinct embossed relief patterns that appear and recede differently depending on the time of day and light angle. This subtle variation becomes visible only when you pass by the building, revealing how carefully the designers considered how light would interact with the surface texture.
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