greystone08(returns) Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Is it just me or does this building look just like a huge block of legos just clumped together? I look at it practically everyday on my way to school and think that this building has no architectural significance. It's shaped pretty awkwardly, it looks like the architect spent no longer than 5 min planning the design. This and the Exxon Mobil buildings do nothing for the Houston skyline in the architectural aspect in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw2ntyse7en Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Yes, but the Houston Archiecture guide explians the reason behind the design of the Exxon building. It's actually a solid design. And the views from the Petroleum Club are pretty nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tierwestah Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 i don't particularly care for the Chevron tower either. During the day it's not so bad but they do need to lose the christmas light stripe theme at night. It resembles cheap ornamentation in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 And FWIW, the Bell Street Cafe in the basement is a nice place to grab lunch cafeteria style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 If you're referring to quite possibly the ugliest building ever constructed in the CBD, then yes, I agree. What were they thinking? Did they actually have beef with the city of Houston, and this was their way of getting back at her??Why, oh why... are you still standing? Glen <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes, I HATE that thing! They need to rennovate it! A good plan would be to simply place some new shiny glass to make it a seamless building, and maybe it will look something like 1000 main. BLECH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeightsGuy Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 Simple and clean, I like them both. My office window provides a great view of the Exxon building, and I appreciate it more and more as the days go by. Try not to forget that what you and I think of ugly now may not be in the future. We spend millions restoring turn-of-the-20th-century structures to original, but think nothing of "modernizing" buildings from the 60's and 70's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 The Exxon building isn't a classic by any stretch, but nonetheless it's not a bad example of mid-century skyscraper architecture. Adding "shiny new glass" would just make it another anonymous box, and we have quite enough of those already, thank you. If downtown is to maintain some character it should also have some variety of architectural style, even if those styles cover periods that are currently unfashionable. Also, you could "modernize" it today, but in twenty years it's going to end up looking dated in any event. The buildings downtown that were "modernized" in the 1960s (Lamar Hotel, West Building, 806 Main, etc) all would have been just as well off in the long run if they had been allowed to maintain the integrity of their original designs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw2ntyse7en Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2H Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 it does look awkwardly but although not one of my favorite buildings in Houston, it's not that bab. I wish they would update the Houston Centers though. they all look outdated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C2H Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 it does look awkwardly but although not one of my favorite buildings in Houston, it's not that bab. I wish they would update the Houston Centers though. they all look outdated<{POST_SNAPBACK}>CORRECTION: Typo. it does look awkwardly but although not one of mt favorite buildings in Houston, its not that BAD. i wish they would update the Houston Centers though/ they all look outdated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 "What were they thinking?"Well you have to take it from back then. It was completed in 1982, therefore it was probibly on the drawing boards somewhere (anywhere) from 1970-1981. Its an "International" design, and the top represents the companies' logo, the chevron sign. (As someone has pointed out before). It was just simply following the era and style of the very early eighties... every look back at your spandex and wonder what you where thinking? At the time, hey, it was down right awesome... but now, its a sheer reminder of Plastic Pop Culture... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 then yes, I like it. It's nice, simple, yet timeless. 30 years from now, this will not be any eyesore as some have become.Unless one possesses the mysterious power to see into men's minds, it's always hard to tell what will be considered an eyesore in the future, and what will be considered timeless. Architectural styles are always to some extent an issue of fashion, which makes me wary of "modernization" efforts.It's interesting that a number of skyscrapers built in that period utilize exterior window shading: Exxon, Tenneco, the Wortham building on Allen Parkway, Melrose, First City, and the Fannin Bank building on Holcombe all come to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw2ntyse7en Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw2ntyse7en Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeightsGuy Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 Trust me, 100 years from now, no one is going to be in a fight over this thing. The best thing they could do is take off those window shades, change out the glass (or maybe just tint it) and give the metal a new paint job.The 80's was the backlash of counterculture stemmed from the revolution of the late 60's and entire 70'sIt had it's place, and that's in the history books.tw2ntyse7en,Our buildings (including what you think of as badly architected examples from the 60's) are our history books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw2ntyse7en Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 to me, the 80s was the best time for Architecture. (apart from the 20-30s) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brijonmang Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 back to the original topic, which was the Chevron Tower, this is actually one of my favorite buildings in Houston. I also like America Tower and wish it was apart of the CBD skyline...anyway thats my two cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominax Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 This building is embarrasing the downtown skyline please crash it, destroy it, bomb it. I don't care.Replace this tower to a glass-steel skyscraper like one of the towers of SHANGHAI, CHINA nothing but wondeful structures.SHANGHAI IMAGE!!http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/showphot...&papass=&sort=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 isn't that nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 This building is embarrasing the downtown skyline please crash it, destroy it, bomb it. I don't care.Replace this tower to a glass-steel skyscraper like one of the towers of SHANGHAI, CHINA nothing but wondeful structures.SHANGHAI IMAGE!!http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/showphot...&papass=&sort=2<{POST_SNAPBACK}>This is why I wanted him to stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InnerLoopOnly Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 This building is embarrasing the downtown skyline please crash it, destroy it, bomb it. I don't care.Replace this tower to a glass-steel skyscraper like one of the towers of SHANGHAI, CHINA nothing but wondeful structures.SHANGHAI IMAGE!!http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/showphot...&papass=&sort=2<{POST_SNAPBACK}>It's just a building. It's not even a conspicuous one at that. I don't see the need for this kind of reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 This building is embarrasing the downtown skyline please crash it, destroy it, bomb it. I don't care.You actually condone violence because you don't like how something looks? That's pretty sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 Most of the posts screaming about these two buildings suggest a bias in favor of shiny glass. The glass structures can be pleasing as well, but the various styles represented in the skyline give it its character. They show an architectural evolution...from brick to glass and steel, to glass.Clearly, some wish to obliterate our 60s, 70s architecture. But, it represents the transition period to what we see today. It is important.FWIW, I like the Radiator (Exxon employees fond nickname). It is a funky reminder of the 70s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 FWIW, I like the Radiator (Exxon employees fond nickname). It is a funky reminder of the 70s. i love the nickname - i have now adopted it! as far as "the radiator" goes, in the past i have disliked it, but it is slowly starting to grow on me (maybe like bacteria, but still, i am accepting it...haha) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 True, but it resembles the 70s. I suppose this would be forward thinking in the 60s? In a related thread, it is being cleaned and sealed. Hopefully, it includes polishing the radiator fins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 This thread started as a Chevron Tower topic. Thought I'd post the pic.http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=117667Exxon took over the thread, but I suppose that proves the original post correct. Exxon is more significant architecturally than Chevron.(Actually, the original poster didn't like either one. I guess I disagree on the latter part.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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