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Ugly high-rises


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Torre Agbar in Barcelona is just brutal.

30 St. Mary Axe in London is equally bad.

Sorry, but the Swiss Re building is simply fantastic. And I love Londoners name for it: the Erotic Gherkin.

belg1.jpg

Someone said it earlier on here, at least European cities look forward in architectural terms. They build structures that are progressive and meant to say "I was built in the year ____". Meanwhile we try desperately to cough up historical classicism on a gargantuan scale and end up with crap.

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Sorry, but the Swiss Re building is simply fantastic. And I love Londoners name for it: the Erotic Gherkin. Someone said it earlier on here, at least European cities look forward in architectural terms. They build structures that are progressive and meant to say "I was built in the year ____". Meanwhile we try desperately to cough up historical classicism on a gargantuan scale and end up with crap.

Progressive doesn't mean good taste. I haven't seen many European high-rises that I've really liked. To me, they seem to scream through designs that will be quickly outdated. Not to say that there aren't bad towers in the US, but Europe's high-rises just don't do it for me.

As far as hideous buildings, I always thought that 1100 Wilshire was bad.

1987_1100_wilshire-765184.jpg

But McKnight is horrible (I have to see this hulking mass of a hideous thing everytime I head into Minneapolis), as is AT&T (which I have never seen in person, but I think that if I worked there I would evenutally commit suicide, I need windows!).

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Yup, that's a great candidate... I always used to drive by those towers and think to myself, "What happened in the 70's to make people think these were a good idea? Was it all the drugs?" And they're actually even worse at street level than the upper part of the towers themselves. Terrible, terrible buildings...

- Garris

Providence, RI

It is funny that you mention the 70. Even in Quito, Ecuador, is that decade renowned for its infamously hideos constructions. I'll tey to pics some pics. During those years, when Ecuador was one of the richest nations in the region becuase of the oil found in its jungle, many uneducated people started to invest in buildings, with no architectural aesthetics or funtionality at all. They even thought about destrying certain areas of the historica center(from 1500s) to build more of those grey towers. <_<:wacko:

:ph34r:

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  • 1 month later...

The building's overall shape is fine, but the materials are bland and the base is laking in windows. It's not the ugliest, but it could have been so much better.

The problem with the John Hancock Tower is mostly that it's dull and doesn't meet the street very well. That and falling glass....The Westin Copley Place is worse. I hear that it may soon be re-flagged as a W Hotel if a new Westin is built near the waterfront.

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In case of any confusion, my last post was criticizing the Westin. If I were to criticize the John Hancock building I would want to see first-hand how it works with the street and the sqaure. As I have never been to Boston and haven't fund any pictures that show the building's base, I will widthhold judgement.

I did read about the building's glass problem (edit: and it was just on Discovery Channel); quite an error on somebody's part there.

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The Hancock Building's relationship to the street is tragic, that doesn't make it an 'ugly' building, just a building with an ill-conceived streetscape. I used to live right across the street from it on Clarendon Street. The window problem is pretty much solved, though occassionally, during extremely high winds, the streets around it are closed as a precaution. It's key problem is wind. It was one of the last skyscrapers designed and built before computer modeling of wind patterns became a reliable science. If there were computer models of it's wind-effect at the time of it's design, it would never have been built as is. It creates a serious wind microclimate, and has a high level of bird kills.

It's visual impact is highly praised though, and not only in architecture circles.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am really surprised no one has nominated the Prudential tower in Boston. If anything, it may certainly qualify as the tallest ugly structure in America, in my opnion. Plans are in the works for it's renovation which could completly transform its appearance, but I don't know if that is actually going to happen:

PrudentialBuilding.jpg

Here is a great contrast between beauty and the beast! The Prudential against 111 Huntington:

Boston_Prudential_1.jpg

This one is from my former roofdeck in the South End:

RoofdeckPictures2005-04.jpg

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I took a trip to Nashville,TN (business trip) to meet with two clients, and nashville was hard to get around and I saw alot of homeless people roaming about. I also saw some really bad housing there. I also noticed alot of "Ug buys ugly houses" ads! I lauged and my wife, (came with me to meet with some builder) (half trip meeting to follow him back to RTP) laughed till she spit starbucks.

I also saw too much traffic problems. I was stuck in traffic for 2 hours at 11AM! I had no clue what the heck that was for! People in general there were mean and so were my clents, till I calmed them down. They were Irate about a server problem that was beyond my control! (I hate my supervisor always changing things on the servers without my knowing) Then i had another set to deal with a new datacenter location and they were worse. They didnt say please and thank you

I also noticed alot of grim people there, one person was threatinign her kids, and another person was asking me how much i hate this place. They told me no one took pride in anything and they were scared to be alone.

I also was looked at funny since I am in shape, I work out as much as I can. Often pushing myself too much. And people looked at my wife funny since she looks like a supermodel (I kid you not!). I had to take action two times! It was misaerable there.

Luckally I wont see those clients again becuase My company will not be putting the datacenter there like I thought.

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I love the Pru!

I like the Pru for it's place in Bostonian culture - this is true. However, from a strictly architectural standpoint, I am not so fond.

Trust me - not having the Pru would create quite a void when a line drive to right field is shot at Fenway Park...

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I recall elaborate plans to reclad the Pru in shiny new clothing with a spire on top, but these were a few years back. Is that godawful restaurant still at the top? Great view, but the food was straight out of the freezer. The building could use some perking up.

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When someone said the Hancock in Boston, I at first thought they were confusing it for the Pru, cause I have to agree, the Pru is one ugly a$$ building. Despite being hideous, Boston wouldn't be the same without it, it's too much a part of the city's identity now.

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