Skywalking in Style
The term “skywalk” conjures up something decidedly modern, and for the most part, the elevated pedestrian bridges linking office buildings in cities around the world really are quite recent. Rare before the 1960s and 70s, they have since become popular as a means of separating high volumes of pedestrians from high volumes of vehicular traffic (like in parts of Hong Kong) or of insulating downtown pedestrians from a harsh winter climate (like in Calgary or Minneapolis). At their best, they are a beautiful in their functionality; at their worst, like when a drab modern skywalk has been built between two historic structures, they are a blemish on the cityscape.
Last week, when I saw this skywalk on West 32nd Street in midtown Manhattan, I was surprised not only by how graceful it was, but how it seemed to have been added quite a long time ago, perhaps only shortly after the construction of the buildings it connects.
Tags: Architecture, Manhattan, New York
Jef Nickerson says:
There’s a pretty cool skywalk Flickr group:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/skybridge/
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Jimmy Zoubris says:
Allow me to say….I would be terrified to take that skywalk….besides I definately could use the exercise and walk around.
March 4th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Andrew Chau says:
That’s amazing it’s so high off the ground. I wonder what it connects to, because the 9-11 floors don’t seem like the typical place for a lobby. The bridge reminds me of the Ponte Vecchio in how it’s occupied.
March 5th, 2008 at 8:06 pm