Wainwright Building

In 1891, the high-rise typology was further defined toward what it is known as today with the Wainwright Building in St. Louis, Missouri.  While it only stands at ten stories, architect Louis Sullivan’s design defined the high-rise’s structure as, “an ornamented base, a shaft of identical stacked floors, and a decorated crown.”  While this building may not directly represent the history of the high-rise in New York, its influence on high-rise design in the city over the decades cannot be ignored.

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