Favorite Style Skyscraper And Favorite Incarnation Of That Skyscraper

[Marcus Allen]

What is your favorite style of skyscraper and what is it's best incarnation in your opinion? More than one answer is quite alright! For me, I am all about Gothic and Art Nouveau, so of course, The Chrysler Building, The Tribune Tower and Htown's BofA are my favorites. I also think the Williams Tower and PPG Place are also great NEO renditions of classics.

[Montrose1100]

I know it's not most people's favorite... but I really like the Modern/International/Modernist Style. Both AON's in Chicago and Los Angeles are personal favorites. 3 Allen Center has grown on me, especially when heading north on I-45. It could be teleported into the Shinjuku District in Tokyo and no one would bat an eye (The average Joe/Jane).

[infinite_jim]

NEO renditions of classics.

It's called Post-Modernism.

[infinite_jim]

3 Allen Center has grown on me, especially when heading north on I-45. It could be teleported into the Shinjuku District in Tokyo and no one would bat an eye (The average Joe/Jane).

That's my office.

My favorite style of skyscraper would be the Deconstructivist works like the new 1WTC.

[Marcus Allen]

It's called Post-Modernism.

I think I confused some terms, of which I am ashamed. I have loved architecture all my life and own several books on the subject, especially pretty much any skyscraper book in existence. I meant Art Deco styles like The Chrysler Building and then their new incarnations like Philly's One and Two Liberty Place or it's virtual twin in Chicago. Would the newer ones be considered Post-Modern?

[Marcus Allen]

I know it's not most people's favorite... but I really like the Modern/International/Modernist Style. Both AON's in Chicago and Los Angeles are personal favorites. 3 Allen Center has grown on me, especially when heading north on I-45. It could be teleported into the Shinjuku District in Tokyo and no one would bat an eye (The average Joe/Jane).

Would H-town's and NO's Shell towers be considered in that style?

[Marcus Allen]

That's my office.

My favorite style of skyscraper would be the Deconstructivist works like the new 1WTC.

definitely a close second favorite style. I like the Turning Torso and especially Frank Gehry's tower in NY. FG is actually one of my favorite current architects.

[infinite_jim]

I think I confused some terms, of which I am ashamed. I have loved architecture all my life and own several books on the subject, especially pretty much any skyscraper book in existence. I meant Art Deco styles like The Chrysler Building and then their new incarnations like Philly's One and Two Liberty Place or it's virtual twin in Chicago. Would the newer ones be considered Post-Modern?

Interestingly Helmut Jahn's design for the Southwest Bank Tower closely resembles his built works of the One Liberty Place and subsquently Two Liberty Place. These are all examples of the Post-Modern period of skyscraper design from roughly ~1978 to about ~1994. Although you still see this type of work in high end architecture every now and again like Grave's Fed Reserve Branch bldg off Allen Parkway (2003?) or Philip Johnson's "split obelisk" as the auto entry for UH @ I-45 on Cullen.

 

Would H-town's and NO's Shell towers be considered in that style?

 

These are both the International Style or otherwise known as High Modernism (~1948 through ~1978)

 

definitely a close second favorite style. I like the Turning Torso and especially Frank Gehry's tower in NY. FG is actually one of my favorite current architects.

His work is sort of a bridge between Post-Modern (which includes Pop styled work like the binoculars bldg) and Deconstructionism. The Disney Concert Hall in LA is considered one of his best stateside works in terms of use and sheer visual delight. That disgusts some critics but I think his bldgs metal skins will age quite nicely into a patina. I've only seen a handful of his small scaled stuff in southern California. Funny how in another thread someone mentioned that the flowing curtain look of J. Gang's Aqua was too busy; F. Gehry's 8 Spruce St. was designed exactly by this metaphoric description. 

[Marcus Allen]

Thanks infinite-Jim for all the info. 1. Yes, being a self proclaimed dork, I still literally have dreams that the BOS was actually built and imagine it on Htown's skyline. Oh well. 2. I lived in LA for 20 yrs and absolutely love the Disney Concert Hall, and visited the area often. Would lo e to see the one in Spain. 3. Chicago's Aqua is great to me. I think it reflects the lake stylistically. I think a similar tower in Miami would be awesome and am happy our fair city is getting a smaller sister to the Aqua. I appreciate classical lines, but do really get jazzed when architects and developers think outside of the box, so to speak. That's why I am glad the international tower in DT is a departure from all the flat roofs that will surround it.

[strickn]

If I could bring just one firm to Southeast Texas, to accomplish my purposes, it would only make use of a style to the extent that bioclimatic design is a style.  The firm would be WOHA of Singapore.  They came to my attention for The Met tower in Bangkok, of which archdaily said,

 

The Met is a 66 storey perforate tower which uses the power of nature to cool the apartments. Wind speeds at that height are considerable, so by punching holes through the building and drawing air up vertical voids in the structure, the architects have been able to introduce natural ventilation to flats at all levels. Some of these floors are kept open to provide communal spaces, which include a garden, a gym, a 50 metre swimming pool and other leisure facilities, such as barbecue and seating areas.

 

In short, I feel like people would think, "If an open-air high rise is possible in Houston-Galveston, anything is possible!"

[Marcus Allen]

Thank you strickn, I agree. Like in the 80s when developers were doing something "different" in Houston, others followed. If cutting edge development began in Houston in a more visible arena, like DT, UT, or MT, I think we would have a cornucopia of "green" towers and world note worthy buildings. Sorry, I am just being the older brother Houston hasn't had for years now. I am tired of the picking and demeaning of our fair city. Go out on a limb Houston! Build the all solar powered wonder OR the tallest green tower OR an architectural wonder collaborated by Calitrava, Gehry, Meire, etc, etc. I think mynpoint is made.

[LarryDierker]

Without pics, this thread is a failure.

 

I actually had to google this myself, sigh.

 

 

 

I'm having to google everything that is being mentioned. help a lazy person out.

[Marcus Allen]

Ok. Now here comes my confession. I completely agree that pix are the key. (whisper)... How do I transition pix to this thread?

[LarryDierker]

If on the net, richt click the image and select 'copy image location'. Then in the  tool bar above the dialogue box of the reply to topic feature, left click the little icon that looks like a picture of a tree (when you scroll over it, it should say image.) A box will pop up. Paste the copied image location in the boxand hit ok.

 

[Marcus Allen]

That building could definitely fit in Houston. I am thinking UT or MT.

[Marcus Allen]

If on the net, richt click the image and select 'copy image location'. Then in the tool bar above the dialogue box of the reply to topic feature, left click the little icon that looks like a picture of a tree (when you scroll over it, it should say image.) A box will pop up. Paste the copied image location in the boxand hit ok.

Thank you LD. I will work on it tonight.

[Subdude]

What is your favorite style of skyscraper and what is it's best incarnation in your opinion? More than one answer is quite alright! For me, I am all about Gothic and Art Nouveau, so of course, The Chrysler Building, The Tribune Tower and Htown's BofA are my favorites. I also think the Williams Tower and PPG Place are also great NEO renditions of classics.

 

I've always had a weakness for the classic modernist/international-style skyscraper.

 

 

 

 

 

[arche_757]

In Houston it would have to be the Gulf Bank Building and Art Deco works.  Nationally I would say the Chrysler (an obvious choice) and the American International Building (aka 70 Pine Street in NYC).  That is a beautiful building and is a relative unknown, what with the more famous towers constructed further north during the same time period.

[Marcus Allen]

Like it! Very Ghostbusters-esque.

[arche_757]

Here it is:

 

There was a certain elegance to New York City highrises during the 1920s and 1930s.

[ArchFan]

This is a very enjoyable thread, guys, please keep it up.  

 

I had never associated 2 Houston Center with the Seagrams Bldg. in NYC;  I like both, but still prefer the latter.  For some reason, I feel sad about the Sheraton-Lincoln ... maybe partly because it represented an era, but has been erased from history.  Plus, The Beatles stayed there :-)

 

And, wow!  Those early 20s-30s 'scrapers in NYC (and Chicago, too, I guess) were/are great.  

[arche_757]

Tower Life Building in San Antonio is my favorite high rise in Texas outside of any located in Houston.

[Marcus Allen]

Yes. That one actually was the Ghostbusters skyscraper used for the movie. Very Gothic.

[arche_757]

For a Beaux-Art building this is one of the best in the world:

Oakland City Hall, built in 1917, designed by Palmer & Hornbostel

[Marcus Allen]

Anyone a fan of a more organic approach to highrises like the Tour Phare concept in Paris?

[Marcus Allen]

This is a very enjoyable thread, guys, please keep it up.

I had never associated 2 Houston Center with the Seagrams Bldg. in NYC; I like both, but still prefer the latter. For some reason, I feel sad about the Sheraton-Lincoln ... maybe partly because it represented an era, but has been erased from history. Plus, The Beatles stayed there :-)

And, wow! Those early 20s-30s 'scrapers in NYC (and Chicago, too, I guess) were/are great.

I get nostalgic about buildings as well, and the different styles and eras. Although I really do enjoy a recladding, I also think it a shame to think that at this rate, HTown's DT may, in about ten years, look like the modern era style never was established here. I notice that several cities are leaving styles from the 20s and 30s alone; art deco and neo gothic, but when it comes to the plain "box" style scraper, crowns, antennae, modern glass etc are being added. Not that I am a big fan of that era of skyscrapers, but I don't like the thought of that era being completely erased from present day group consciousness. It's like censorship on an architectural level IMO.

[Subdude]

This is a very enjoyable thread, guys, please keep it up.  

 

I had never associated 2 Houston Center with the Seagrams Bldg. in NYC;  I like both, but still prefer the latter.  For some reason, I feel sad about the Sheraton-Lincoln ... maybe partly because it represented an era, but has been erased from history.  Plus, The Beatles stayed there :-)

 

And, wow!  Those early 20s-30s 'scrapers in NYC (and Chicago, too, I guess) were/are great.  

 

Houston Center was when the classic International Style was getting a bit long in the tooth.  I like it a lot, but the proportions are somewhat clunky compared to earlier versions (like Seagram).  I too miss the Sheraton-Lincoln.  Always one of my favorites.  Another early, nice, and overlooked example in Houston is Medical Towers.

 

[infinite_jim]

Another early, nice, and overlooked example in Houston is Medical Towers.

 

Looks strange to see Dryden at Main so treeless and shadow-less compared to now. This bldg was like a case study for G. Bunshaft in designing the Lever House podium in NYC and eventually One City Centre in terms of prelim solar design.

[Subdude]

Looks strange to see Dryden at Main so treeless and shadow-less compared to now. This bldg was like a case study for G. Bunshaft in designing the Lever House podium in NYC and eventually One City Centre in terms of prelim solar design.

 

The Medical Towers building was also innovative in utilizing the podium structure for parking.

[bobruss]

I picked this thread because it seemed the best place to inform.

The brand new, I got it today, Architectural Record has the new Zaha Hadid's Leeza Soho Tower interior shoton the cover, that is simply amazing. If you haven't seen it yet look for it.

Spectacular, and makes me sad to know that she will never be able to design one for Houston.