FLATIRON LEGACY

From a humble device for pressing clothes, “flatiron” has become a rich metaphor. Its triangular silhouette inspired iconic architecture and perfectly describes striking geological landforms. In both nature and civilization, flatirons stand as sharp, enduring emblems—connecting the everyday with the extraordinary across time and terrain.

 

Originally, a “flatiron” referred to a triangular-shaped iron used to smooth clothes. But its distinctive form—as a tapered wedge—sparked a rich legacy beyond domestic chores, stretching into architecture and natural geology:

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• Architectural Adoption
  Buildings situated on sharp, triangular street intersections began to be dubbed “flatiron” due to their resemblance to the iron's prow. The most iconic: the Fuller Building in New York City, commonly known as the Flatiron Building, completed in 1902. Its fame propelled the term into architectural lexicon.
   

• Geological Usage
  In geomorphology, “flatiron” describes steeply sloping, triangular landforms resulting from erosion-resistant rock layers tilted and truncated by erosion—aptly mirroring the angled profile of the iron. One of the most celebrated examples is Boulder, Colorado’s The Flatirons, a set of five massive rock slabs that lend their name to the geological category