waterworks

Central Park West / New York, New York
From where I live, you can look west in the evening and view a skyline dotted with the sillouttes of water towers. These wooden towers are a distinctive mark upon the New York City landscape; a rustic, turn of the century nod to practicality. In the 1800's, New York City required that all buildings higher than six stories be equipped with a rooftop water tower. This was necessary to prevent the need for excessively high pressures at lower elevations, which could burst pipes. In more modern times, the towers have become a Manhattan icon with many now protected from demolition. In a city full of skyscrapers, they are a gentle reminder of a more simple time.