Designed by Der Scutt and developed by Donald Trump, the tower became a symbol of 1980s.

Trump Tower was built on the site of the former "Bonwit Teller" department store — a 1929 building that had undergone architectural renovation. Trump acquired the property in 1979 with the goal of constructing the city's first "super-luxury" skyscraper.

The construction was led by Barbara Res, who also worked on several other Trump projects and served as a consultant until 1996. At the time, Res was the first woman appointed to manage one of New York's most significant construction sites.

Trump Tower introduced the world to the concept of the "Bronze Curtain."

• The Material: The facade is clad in dark, bronze-tinted glass. This wasn't just an aesthetic choice. Bronze glass is a premium material that signaled exclusivity and power.
• The Illusion: The building acts as a giant mirror. It reflects the chaotic energy of Manhattan, but the interior remains a hidden, impenetrable sanctuary. It is architecture as a declaration of privacy in the world's most public city.

Structural Challenges: Building Downwards

One of the most complex engineering feats of the project wasn't the height, but the depth.

• The Solution: To prevent vibrations from the subway from damaging the luxury apartments and to ensure the integrity of the transit infrastructure below, engineers had to design a "bathtub" foundation. They had to excavate downwards through solid Manhattan schist while simultaneously supporting the transit artery above.
• The Atrium: The famous six-story internal atrium with its pink marble and an 80-foot (24-meter) waterfall required a massive internal void. In Manhattan, where every square foot is worth a fortune, creating a 30-meter-high empty space inside a skyscraper was a radical and expensive statement.

Innovation in Urban Context

Trump Tower changed how developers approached mixed-use spaces. It wasn't just an office building or a hotel; it was a "vertical city." By stacking retail, office space, and luxury condominiums into a single 200-meter structure, the project redefined density.

It proved that high-end retail and private residences could coexist in the same volume without devaluing each other. This principle of vertical integration — "Live, Work, Shop" — became a blueprint for luxury skyscrapers globally.

The Political Era

After Trump announced the start of his presidential campaign in 2015, the number of visits to the tower surged. Shops sold campaign merchandise, with proceeds going to fund the campaign. The tower gained popularity among New York tourists in 2016, especially after Trump was elected president.

David Polyakov (Special Correspondent for API TV from New York, USA)