Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank Building, Beaux-Arts bank building in Civic Center, Manhattan, US.
The Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank Building is a 17-story skyscraper with a limestone facade and H-shaped layout designed to flood interiors with natural light. The structure now contains 99 residential condominiums and includes amenities such as a swimming pool, fitness center, and rooftop terrace.
Constructed between 1909 and 1912, this building was designed as the largest bank structure in the United States at the time. It specifically served Irish immigrants by providing financial services tailored to their needs.
The former banking hall now operates as Hall des Lumières, an exhibition space where digital art installations blend with the original architectural details. Visitors experience how contemporary artists use the historic space with modern projection technology to create immersive displays.
The building is located in Civic Center, Manhattan's downtown area, making it easily accessible by public transit. Visitors to Hall des Lumières should allow time to explore both the digital art installations and the original architectural features at a comfortable pace.
This building pioneered the H-shaped floor plan in skyscraper design, allowing natural light to reach all four facades. The innovative layout significantly improved working conditions for bank employees by ensuring that virtually no interior space was cut off from daylight.
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