The construction of The Egg began in 1966 and was completed twelve years later in 1978. The Egg was designed by Wallace Harrison for all the people of New York State and to accommodate many events and performances. Architecturally, The Egg is without precedent. From a distance it seems as much a sculpture as a building. Though it appears to sit on the main platform, the stem that holds The Egg actually goes down through six stories deep into the Earth. The Egg keeps its shape by wearing a girdle – a heavily reinforced concrete beam that was poured along with the rest of the shell. This beam helps transmit The Egg’s weight onto the supporting pedestal and gives the structure an ageless durability that belies its nickname. (Adapted from the website of the Center for the Performing Arts, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York)