I like the overall design of the building; and do not want to be overly critical on this point. However, this has always been my opinion about those ‘exposed’ structural steel eye beams at the crown.
I would be interesting to conduct a formal survey on that particular question: the results would be interesting to hear. That being said, You did conduction your own ‘informal’ survey - and I suspect the results would be exactly as you have stated. Those structural steel beams look CaCa or at least: unfinished.
It looks like a single light is lit on the crown. It surely can’t be a reflection, as the rest of the front or innards would be reflecting with the same brightness.
I examined those beautiful photos further and it definitely has to be a singular light lit. Is there hope after all that it is not dead?
I agree with @5Bfilms , it appears more likely to be one of the twisting facade panels facing the north catching light from the setting sun. The north facing side of the crown “is” intended to twinkle throughout the day.
Unless L’Observatoire International’s intentions for lighting the crown have changed, it was always just meant to be like an internal chandelier lighting it up, not linear lights like at 270.
@ALC11 I briefly mistook the sun reflecting off the glazing as artificial light yesterday myself. Likewise when viewing the sky through the negative space in direct comparison to a reflection off those elements, it’s easy to perceive as electric. Hard to tell though w/the lens I was shooting with.
Because of lighting? Even though I’m desperate to see the lighting…nah. This is still the thinnest tower IN THE WORLD, it’s a great architectural achievement
If you’re subscribed to email notifications for the MTA Weekender service, they often include transit related animated gifs relevant to the time of year and week.
Someone in the animation department loves this building. Also… the fact that it is well lit like it was supposed to be originally in this gif is not lost on me.
For a moment, I was hoping they FINALLY started lighting up 111 but it looks like an older video from two months ago (although a very cool shot) Maybe this will be the year we see this fully lit up…?
From my seeing the trial efforts to get the lighting in near the end of construction, the system simply didn’t work. I too doubt it will ever be fixed.
Maybe this will be the year we see this fully lit up…?