1964-1965 New York World's Fair New York State Pavilion
Encyclopedia
1964-1965 New York World's Fair New York State Pavilion is a historic world's fair pavilion
at Flushing Meadows – Corona Park in Flushing, Queens
, New York
. The New York State Pavilion was designed and built between 1962 and 1964. It was designed by famed modernist architect Philip Johnson
. It consists of three components of reinforced concrete
and steel construction: the "Tent of Tomorrow," Observation Towers, and Theaterama.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2009.
Pavilion
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
at Flushing Meadows – Corona Park in Flushing, Queens
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The New York State Pavilion was designed and built between 1962 and 1964. It was designed by famed modernist architect Philip Johnson
Philip Johnson
Philip Cortelyou Johnson was an influential American architect.In 1930, he founded the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and later , as a trustee, he was awarded an American Institute of Architects Gold Medal and the first Pritzker Architecture...
. It consists of three components of reinforced concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and steel construction: the "Tent of Tomorrow," Observation Towers, and Theaterama.
- The "Tent of Tomorrow" is elliptical in plan and its reinforced concrete piers once supported the largest cable suspension roof in the world. The main floor of the Tent was a large scale design of a TexacoTexacoTexaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
highway map of New York State. An idea floated after the fair to use the floor for the World Trade Center didn't materialize. Once the red ceiling tiles were removed from the pavilion in the late 1970s, the floor was subject to the elements of weather and was ruined.
- The Observation Towers are three concrete towers with the tallest at 226 feet high. The towers have observation platforms once accessed by two "Sky Streak capsule" elevators attached to the tallest western tower. The southern tower has a platform height of 85-feet and the northern tower is at 160-feet.
- Theaterama was originally a single drum-shaped volume of reinforced concrete. Additions to the original structure were made in 1992-1993 and in 2008-2009. The Theaterama is home to the Queens Theatre in the Park.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2009.
External links
- New York State Pavilion, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens borough, New York, New York, NY: 60 data pages at Historic American Building Survey
- New York World's Fair 1964 1965 - New York State Pavilion