As many architects look to the heavens in order to find construction and housing solutions, the passenger lift has become more critical in the 21st century than it has ever been before, with their capabilities determining how tall buildings can truly be.
Whilst the Roman architect Vitruvius was the first to describe the concept of a lift, crediting the concept to the Greek inventor Archimedes, the modern safety lift is the creation of Elisha Otis, which revolutionised the concept by making it safer and more reliable.
The safety lift, which formed the foundation for the lifts that passengers continue to use to this day, was not initially intended for use in retail and commercial spaces, although Mr Otis did not object to either.
Instead, it was initially developed whilst he spent a short amount of time working for the bedstead factory Maize & Burns.
They were converting an existing building into a factory, which meant that as part of their construction process, they needed a system to lift equipment from the lower floor to the upper level.
Given the potential dangers posed by traditional hoists, Mr Otis developed an early version of the safety lift, which is part of the reason why the system that was depicted at the time did not resemble a lift shaft or passenger box but instead, a platform that raised and lowered.
He sold his first machine in September 1853 and he founded his own company, the Otis Elevator Company, in order to produce more of them.
As a freight lift, sales were initially somewhat disappointing, as businesses did not understand the benefits of the sudden emergency brake mechanism when the primary cargo was heavy equipment, freight and cargo.
This changed dramatically in May 1854, during the Great Exhibition at New York City’s Crystal Palace.
Here, he would famously demonstrate his safety lift by standing on a raised platform and ordering that the rope holding it up was cut.
Orders increased dramatically overnight and within three years Mr Otis had become a central figure in the lift business.