Bad Nashville architecture/architects

[smeagolsfree]

Too much going on right to read all of the post all the way through but welcome to the forum grecian and wbrewer3. I might have missed a greet every now and then and really cant remember all of the new members .

 

Thanks and welcome and continue to post.

[Guest 5th & Main Urbanite]

I can agree that in many cases, Nashville architecture is bland. I am referring to what has been built since 1955 when the L&C Tower started construction. Over the past 60 years in America, architecture is more about what is affordable and cost effective for the developer and subsequent tenant rather than what is pleasing or attractive.

 

After WW2, America became a consumer economy rather  than a conservation economy. What the war taught us was the fact that America can produce things  very fast.  We had to for the war effort. Architecture is no different. After the war, we became a mass produced society. It's the mass production that kept people employed. It's the consumerism that keeps Americans employed. Now we are seeing that conservation can create jobs.

 

In the realm of architecture, architects, developers, builders, contractors, and construction workers need jobs. Building the Empire State Building to last a couple of centuries is not going to happen anymore. Some of us may live long enough to see the L&C Tower replaced by something less grand and less beautiful.

 

It's all about keeping things fresh in the consciousness of society. Just like every generation has it's music, every generation will have it's architectural statements.

 

Lastly, hotels, condos, apartments, and many public buildings are utilitarian and are designed for function and use rather than form and art. Unfortunately we are not Dubai, or Jeddah. We do not design our buildings anymore for religious reasons. In Islamic culture, there are guidelines for architecture as well as living and personal lifestyle. We no longer do that. Even our churches have gone from beautiful masterpieces standing for generations to giant boxes with aluminum siding.

 

The lack of grand and tasteful architecture is all but disappearing in America, and it may not return for many generations.

[bwithers1]

There may be some bland in Nashville, but the Schermerhorn and the downtown library are grand.  Again, they are "old fashioned," but the architects did such a good job of recreating the City Beautiful movement from a century ago that someone could easily mistake them for being that old. 

 

In terms of post-war architecture, I would argue that the late '80s - early 00s did see quite a few grandiose, Postmodern office buildings constructed in America.  One of my favorite examples in Chicago is the AT&T/USG Building.  Some of these structures exude an abundance of detail that would compare favorably to being modern answers to the Empire State Building or the Chrysler building.  I'm sure that there are examples in other cities, too, but I don't get to travel as much as I would like in order to see them.  Perhaps Nashville did miss that boat in terms of bold office building design except for the possible exception of the AT&T building (a Postmodern version of a twin-spired cathedral?).

 

Nashville has a few undistinguished, boxy buildings that I would like to see replaced.  But Nashville is also notorious for punishing anyone who takes risks to get away from boxiness (Ghost Ballet for the East Bank Machine Works, anyone?), so when you have clients that just want something functional and you have a city culture that will attack you for taking even modest risks, or God help you, for using color, what you will get is either conservative, "timeless" gray/white/tan neoclassical design (Schermerhorn, Library, and even the 5/3rd Bldg) or bland modern structures whose only hope is to fade into the background (lots of other things). 

 

It is precisely these circumstances that make me appreciate some of the more adventurous modern structures going up in Nashville even if they are not necessarily to my taste.

[MLBrumby]

I think Nashville has done much better than most peers, and certainly better than Atlanta in recent years. Atlanta is virtually void of any historic architecture anymore... growing up back in the 70s and 80s, one historic gem fell to the wrecking ball every month. Thank goodness they didn't let developers demolish the gold dome of the state capitol... It seems they would have.

[Guest 5th & Main Urbanite]

At one point the L&C Tower was all but vacant in the 1980's. It was for sale for less than a million. It almost got the wrecking ball if you will, but the state saved it and moved in.

[donNdonelson2]

At one point the L&C Tower was all but vacant in the 1980's. It was for sale for less than a million. It almost got the wrecking ball if you will, but the state saved it and moved in.

I believe you may be thinking of the old National Life building (NLT/American General) which the state purchased and is now named the Tennessee Tower.  If the state was involved in a transaction with the L&C, it would be news to me...which could, indeed, be the case.  Anyone else have info on this one?

[Guest 5th & Main Urbanite]

Don, you may be correct, but at one time Service Merchandise Company had the opportunity to buy the L&C Tower for almost nothing, and Raymond Zimmerman passed and located in Cool Springs. At that time, there was talk of razing the L&C Tower for some ridiculous reason. I do not remember all of the specifics.

[UTgrad09]

At that time, there was talk of razing the L&C Tower for some ridiculous reason.

Razing buildings for parking lots was en vogue at the time.

Plus...the mid 80s might have been the all time low point for downtown.