Electric Tower (1912)

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Based on utopian reconstructions of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, and inspired by the Electric Tower at the Pan-American Exposition, the General Electric Tower is, ultimately, a tribute to light, and to the electrical power that transformed lighting conditions around the world.  The Tower exhibits a unique octagonal plan, complemented by a gleaming white terracotta exterior that emphasizes the nature of light in architectural form.  It is designed in a Neo-Classical Beaux-Arts style, and is nicely complemented by additions built in 1924 and 1927.  It is notable for the way in which light plays across the façade, creating a dialogue of solid and void through the reflectance of the terracotta façade as it is counterpoised by the extensive fenestration, which appears dark in comparison.