Three World Financial Center
Encyclopedia
Three World Financial Center also known as American Express
Tower, is one of the thirty tallest skyscrapers in New York City
. Located on West Street between Liberty Street and Vesey Street in Lower Manhattan
the building is the tallest, 739 feet (225 m), of the four buildings in the World Financial Center
complex that stands in southwest Manhattan. It is similar in design to Two World Financial Center
, except that it is capped by a solid pyramid
where 2 WFC is capped by a dome.
Three World Financial Center was severely damaged by the falling debris when the World Trade Center
towers collapsed on September 11, 2001. The building's southeast corner took heavy structural damage, though the effects were not enough to create a threat of collapse. The building had to be closed for repairs from September 11, 2001 until May 2002 as a result of damage sustained in the terrorist attacks.
3 World Financial Center is today World headquarters of American Express
, and was once World Headquarters of Lehman Brothers
Holdings Inc.
, among other companies. It is an example of postmodern architecture, as designed by Cesar Pelli
& Associates, and contains over 2.1 million square feet (195,000 m²) of rentable office area. It connects to the rest of the World Financial Center
complex through a courtyard leading to the Winter Garden
, a dramatic glass-and-steel public space with a 120 ft (37 m) vaulted ceiling under which there is an assortment of trees and plants, including sixteen 40 ft (12 m) palm trees from the Mojave Desert
.
It is notably similar in design to One Canada Square
in London's Canary Wharf
development. Canary Wharf was, like the World Financial Center, a project by Canadian developers Olympia & York, and One Canada Square was designed by the same principal architect.
. In the movie The Other Guys
, a disheartened office manager jumps off this building to his death.
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
Tower, is one of the thirty tallest skyscrapers in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Located on West Street between Liberty Street and Vesey Street in Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
the building is the tallest, 739 feet (225 m), of the four buildings in the World Financial Center
World Financial Center
The World Financial Center is a complex of buildings across West Street from the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan in New York City, overlooking the Hudson River. This complex is home to offices of companies including Merrill Lynch, RBC Capital Markets, Nomura Group, the Wall Street...
complex that stands in southwest Manhattan. It is similar in design to Two World Financial Center
Two World Financial Center
Two World Financial Center is one of the largest skyscrapers in New York City, located at 225 Liberty Street in the Financial District of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Rising 645 feet , the building is the second tallest of the four buildings in the World Financial Center complex that...
, except that it is capped by a solid pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
where 2 WFC is capped by a dome.
History
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
towers collapsed on September 11, 2001. The building's southeast corner took heavy structural damage, though the effects were not enough to create a threat of collapse. The building had to be closed for repairs from September 11, 2001 until May 2002 as a result of damage sustained in the terrorist attacks.
3 World Financial Center is today World headquarters of American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, and was once World Headquarters of Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
Holdings Inc.
Architecture
The building is home to the world headquarters of American ExpressAmerican Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, among other companies. It is an example of postmodern architecture, as designed by Cesar Pelli
César Pelli
César Pelli is an Argentine architect known for designing some of the world's tallest buildings and other major urban landmarks. In 1991, the American Institute of Architects listed Pelli among the ten most influential living American architects...
& Associates, and contains over 2.1 million square feet (195,000 m²) of rentable office area. It connects to the rest of the World Financial Center
World Financial Center
The World Financial Center is a complex of buildings across West Street from the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan in New York City, overlooking the Hudson River. This complex is home to offices of companies including Merrill Lynch, RBC Capital Markets, Nomura Group, the Wall Street...
complex through a courtyard leading to the Winter Garden
Winter Garden Atrium
The Winter Garden Atrium is a 10-story glass-vaulted pavilion on Vesey Street in New York City's World Financial Center. Originally constructed in 1988, and substantially rebuilt in 2002, the Atrium houses various plants, trees and flowers, and shops...
, a dramatic glass-and-steel public space with a 120 ft (37 m) vaulted ceiling under which there is an assortment of trees and plants, including sixteen 40 ft (12 m) palm trees from the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
.
It is notably similar in design to One Canada Square
One Canada Square
One Canada Square is a skyscraper in Canary Wharf in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is the tallest completed building in the United Kingdom since 1991, standing at above ground level and containing 50 storeys...
in London's Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
development. Canary Wharf was, like the World Financial Center, a project by Canadian developers Olympia & York, and One Canada Square was designed by the same principal architect.
In Popular Culture
In the movie A.I. Artificial Intelligence, the building is seen half submerged in a flooded New York City due to global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. In the movie The Other Guys
The Other Guys
The Other Guys is a 2010 American action comedy film directed and co-written by Adam McKay, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, and featuring Dwayne Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Steve Coogan, and Ray Stevenson...
, a disheartened office manager jumps off this building to his death.
See also
- List of tallest buildings in New York City
- One World Financial CenterOne World Financial CenterOne World Financial Center is a skyscraper in Lower Manhattan, New York City.It is located at 200 Liberty Street between South End Avenue and West Street. It was built in 1985 as part of the World Financial Center complex. It is a 40 story building reaching the height of 577 ft . It has a...
- Two World Financial CenterTwo World Financial CenterTwo World Financial Center is one of the largest skyscrapers in New York City, located at 225 Liberty Street in the Financial District of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Rising 645 feet , the building is the second tallest of the four buildings in the World Financial Center complex that...
- Four World Financial CenterFour World Financial CenterFour World Financial Center or is a part of the World Financial Center complex in Lower Manhattan, which houses the international headquarters and main US trading floors of Merrill Lynch....