From the rooftop deck of the Whitney Museum- the most natural lighting on the top tier you will see on the Empire State Building and southwest of it in contrast is the World Trade Center. John @JD1137 does that give you a visual side by side reference to the earlier post of colored lights on the Empire State in general? You also you have to keep in mind the 2 architecture has difference in material and the percentage of openings via the facade and fenestration. The Empire State Building has more mass (stone) and the new WTC is the opposite and uses metal framing and window walls so it “looks and feel lighter”- there is more transparency, the one building you can attach light fixtures to light the tier as it cascades (because there are more solids), while in contrast the new WTC has more of a fluid seamless glass skin and lighting plays has to come from the inside. But, this example for instance if you can imagine what if all the tall buildings had all natural light in how that would subdue the cityscape at night because the lighting temperature is all the same devoid of color as oppose to having color light as each building location, to where they are can serve as a reference marker as well and adds visual interest to the cityscape. The color lighting is much more important during the cold months as so the city doesn’t look as sterile and cold.
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