3 ms·
I think, like with almost all of these, the scale of our modern success is out of the scope of any of their beliefs.
by simonsarris 3y ago
I think, like with almost all of these, the scale of our modern success is out of the scope of any of their beliefs.
- eastbound 3y agoYes. In 1899, they hadn’t even invented the lift, necessary for skyscrapers. Imagine showing them, not Dubai, but a mundane success story like Bangkok. Edit: The Eiffel Towers had some, earlier than that. See comments ;) Sorry.
- userbinator 3y agoSorry, but that's incorrect; the guy who invented that had already been dead for over 3 decades in 1899: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisha_Otis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisha_Otis
- manmal 3y agoThe flatiron was finished in 1903.
- samatman 3y agoIn 1899, the Eiffel Tower was 10 years old. Not only did it have lifts, it famously, notoriously had lifts. French futurist artists could hardly be more aware of the concept.
- eastbound 3y agoOk I thought they were created around 1920 when skyscrapers started in NYC. Maybe that is wrong too. My apologies.
- folmar 3y agoThe Colloseum had approximately 25 elevators. Build year 80 AD.
- Gibbon1 3y agoI remember reading about an early hotel or some such. Passenger elevators weren't a thing but they knew they were coming so they designed in round elevator shafts. Which later they needed to make a custom elevator for. Because round. Google comes through for once. https://www.amusingplanet.com/2020/04/the-elevator-shaft-that-came-before.html https://www.amusingplanet.com/2020/04/the-elevator-shaft-tha... tl;dr: Cooper Union's Foundation Building built 1853. Otis demonstrated his invention at the Crystal Palace in 1854, first installed Haughwout Building in 1857 Also freight elevators existed for a long time before but were unsafe for passengers.
- teddyh 3y agoTom Scott did a video about it: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL4xc5bsSUU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL4xc5bsSUU>