As the nighttime Philadelphia skyline is becoming brighter with new projects featuring decorative lighting, One Liberty Place has also made its mark on the dark night sky. Located at 1650 Market Street in Center City, the skyscraper was constructed to a height of 945 feet and 61 floors. The tower was designed by Helmut Jahn of Murphy/Jahn and developed by Willard Rouse of Rouse and Associates. The structural design was crafted by Thornton Tomasetti and the tower was constructed by LF Driscoll between 1985 and 1987, with The Lighting Practice as the new contractor for the lights. In this feature, Philadelphia takes an extended look at the improved lighting on the crown of the trophy tower.
Liberty Place, City Hall, and Mellon Bank Center from the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Photo by Thomas Koloski
Liberty Place at night. Photo by Thomas Koloski
The decorative lights were last upgraded in 2007, when the Comcast Center was finalizing construction, and over the years they have become dimmer, with some sections completely turned off. At the end of 2020, the lights had been turned off for multiple days in a row, leaving the crown and spire dark at night. In the middle of January 2021, the new and improved lights were noticeable as every 20-foot section were turned back on with an even brighter display. In April, testing of the new dynamic lighting was underway, as the spire lights came back on a month later.
One Liberty Place disco lighting from New Jersey. Photo by Thomas Koloski
An Instagram announcement was made on August 6th for the chance for members of the general public to to light up the tower, with competition closing on August 20th. A handful of people were selected, including the author of the article at hand, to light up the illumination for one session a night for five minutes. Since that time, the tower has been colorfully lit up numerous times, giving the skyline a new look at night. Even after the tragic loss of Helmut Jahn nearly one year ago, his work spreads his legacy all around the world via his unique architecture, which includes One Liberty Place.
Philadelphia skyline at night from South Philadelphia. Photo by Thomas Koloski
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Looks great and Two Liberty Place needs to figure out how to get their lighting upgraded because their lighting is weak.
Yaaaay! Such pretty colors nobody can see since Philly is such a tiny, second rate city and everything gets built within a one mile area.
I still believe Liberty One, is one of the most beautiful skyscraper ever made, top 10 for sure but still never included in any consideration of such. You have to go out of your way to ignore it’s architectural beauty, complexity and sophistication.
I love the new lights. A great addition to the Philly skyline at night. I’ve noticed them a number of times and been very happy to see them.