The Pyramids (Indianapolis) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Pyramids |
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| General information | |
| Type | Offices |
| Location | 300 Depauw Boulevard Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Coordinates | 39°55′12″N 86°13′15″W / 39.9201°N 86.2209°W |
| Completed | 1972 |
| Owner | CP Pyramids and Associates LP |
| Height | |
| Roof | 157 ft (48 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 11 |
| Floor area | 350,000 square feet (33,000 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Roche-Dinkeloo and Associates LLC |
The Pyramids are three cool office buildings in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. They look just like pyramids! These buildings are part of a big business area called College Park. They sit on a large piece of land, right next to a pretty lake.
These unique buildings were built between 1967 and 1972. A famous architect named Kevin Roche designed them for the College Life Insurance Company. People often notice how the concrete walls facing the highway look solid, while the glass walls facing the lake are super shiny and reflect the scenery.
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History of The Pyramids
In the 1960s, the College Life Insurance Company was growing fast. They needed more space for their employees and planned for even more growth in the future. So, they decided to build a new office complex.
Why Pyramids?
The company chose a plan by architect Kevin Roche. His original idea was to build nine identical office towers. Each tower would be eleven stories tall and have lots of office space. The plan was to build these towers one by one, as the company needed more room. This way, they wouldn't have empty buildings sitting around.
However, only the first three towers were ever built. These are the ones that look like pyramids! Later, in the late 1990s, the area around the buildings was updated. It seems unlikely that more towers will be built now.
Who Owns The Pyramids Now?
The College Life Insurance Company no longer uses these buildings. Today, they are owned by Cassidy Turley Commercial Realty Services. This company rents out office space to many different businesses in the Indianapolis area. The Art Institute of Indianapolis is also located inside The Pyramids.
These buildings are considered some of Kevin Roche's best work. They even helped him win a very important award called the Pritzker Prize!
How The Pyramids Are Built
Each of the three pyramid towers is built in a special way. They have two strong walls made of reinforced concrete. These concrete walls hold up all the office floors. They also act as "service cores," which means they contain things like elevators and stairs.
Glass Walls and Connections
The other two walls of each pyramid are covered in blue glass. This glass makes the buildings look very modern and shiny. All three buildings are connected to each other by passages, some underground and some above ground.
Inside each pyramid, there are three cable passenger elevators to help people get to different floors. People have called these buildings "abstract" and "sculptural." This is because of how the solid concrete walls face the busy highway, while the reflective blue glass walls face the calm lake inside the complex.
