Is Houston missing an iconic landmark?

[august948]

Thinking some more about this, but "iconic" landmarks don't need to be towers, or large at all. In Brussels most people would think of the little peeing boy as more of a landmark than the Atomium. The prime symbol of Copenhagen is a modest statue of a mermaid.

Actually Houston already has what would be the perfect "iconic" landmark sitting in storage. Remember Bubba, the Holder's neon cockroach that used to perch above the Southwest Freeway? Replace the "Holder's" with "Houston" and reinstall Bubba in some prominent location (Market Square? JFK Blvd airport approach?). I can guarantee you that in no time at all it would be a famous landmark that the world would associate with Houston. You would see Bubba on tee-shirts all across the globe.

Of course, adopting a neon cockroach as a civic landmark would take a bit of a sense of humor, which can be lacking in the civic booster set.

That reminds me of the famous Marietta, GA (Atlanta area) landmark...The Big Chicken

[Highway6]

Ok, hear me out. We have a 500' bronze Biggio in Upper Kirby and a 500' bronze Bagwell in Montrose and they would in fact be the support towers for baseball shaped gondola rides across the inner loop.

[livincinco]

I like that Houston has no obvious visual epicenter. The hierarchal conflict of every adjacent parcel as designed in a vacuum is pretty awesome in it's breadth and scope from afar. I'm not a Houston booster by any means but I cannot deny my scientific curiosity in observing the intrinsic ephemeral beauty of our collective randomness.

The Astrodome as the Coliseum is romantic as beaux-arts, but the reality is, that it's simply dwarfed in scale by the shear flanking bulk of the Reliant Center. Another interesting juxtaposition that reflects Houston's ever changing ways.

I agree. I think that the idea of an iconic landmark is somewhat contrary to what Houston is. To me, the most interesting thing about this city is the fact that it is constantly changing and reinventing itself in different ways. The idea of a single landmark that would "define" the city really wouldn't represent appropriately.

[kylejack]

I agree. I think that the idea of an iconic landmark is somewhat contrary to what Houston is. To me, the most interesting thing about this city is the fact that it is constantly changing and reinventing itself in different ways. The idea of a single landmark that would "define" the city really wouldn't represent appropriately.

Agreed.

"One you label me, you negate me."

Søren Kierkegaard

[Highway6]

I agree. I think that the idea of an iconic landmark is somewhat contrary to what Houston is. To me, the most interesting thing about this city is the fact that it is constantly changing and reinventing itself in different ways. The idea of a single landmark that would "define" the city really wouldn't represent appropriately.

I disagree... With that thinking, The Astrodome never would have been built. We are a 'can do anything' city. Being afraid of creating an icon because it's contrary to a constantly changing Houston would lead to staleness.

I agree that you don't set out to put up a statue just for the sake of branding the city... but fear of accidentally creating something that future residents might see an an icon shouldn't stop growth, creativity, or building big, bold, or beautiful.

[livincinco]

I disagree... With that thinking, The Astrodome never would have been built. We are a 'can do anything' city. Being afraid of creating an icon because it's contrary to a constantly changing Houston would lead to staleness.

I agree that you don't set out to put up a statue just for the sake of branding the city... but fear of accidentally creating something that future residents might see an an icon shouldn't stop growth, creativity, or building big, bold, or beautiful.

I whole-heartedly support building bold and unique things. I just don't like the idea of building something for the specific purpose of creating an iconic landmark that would define the city. This is arguably the purest capitalist city in the country. A big public works project that says "look who we are" ain't us.

[ToryGattis]

Might as well throw this idea I've had for a long time out there: Sort of a play on the Eiffel tower, but just a tiny pyramid suspended at least a half-mile up (maybe a mile? tallest structure in the world?) over downtown supported with 4 trussed pyramid legs along the downtown street grid. Put a restaurant and observation deck up there and call it "The Top of Texas". Put gondola cars in the legs, and even use it as local transit to get around downtown. It takes our already impressive skyline and makes it incredibly distinctive.

[little frau]

What if we built something like the Eiffel Tower and made it resemble a huge oil derrick, complete with an observation deck and maybe even a restaurant?  Tillman could build it like the Rainforest Cafe in Galveston where instead of lava it could spew forth oil every 30 minutes. 

Oh and we could attach the big Holder's cockroach to the side making it look like it's climbing up the tower. 

Paris TX has one already. At least it's supposed to look like an Eiffel Oil Tower, but no restaurant or deck, just a cowboy hat on top......

[20thStDad]

How about we just move the Sam Houston statue down here and slap it on top of the Williams Tower?

When I think about that, for some reason Ghostbusters comes to mind. I know, it doesn't fit, but this is how my mind works.

p.s. - just added Ghostbusters to the custom dictionary. Come on Microsoft (or Firefox?), you should have known that already.

[N Judah]

Windmills, giant windmills. You're in wind power country now, son!

[TheNiche]

Might as well throw this idea I've had for a long time out there: Sort of a play on the Eiffel tower, but just a tiny pyramid suspended at least a half-mile up (maybe a mile? tallest structure in the world?) over downtown supported with 4 trussed pyramid legs along the downtown street grid. Put a restaurant and observation deck up there and call it "The Top of Texas". Put gondola cars in the legs, and even use it as local transit to get around downtown. It takes our already impressive skyline and makes it incredibly distinctive.

It ain't the top of Texas unless it tops out at an elevation of 8751 feet, the same elevation as Guadalupe Peak in west Texas.

[musicman]

Agreed.

"One you label me, you negate me."

Søren Kierkegaard

the 1800's bring up so many memories for all of us.

[Subdude]

To me, the most interesting thing about this city is the fact that it is constantly changing and reinventing itself in different ways.

How so?

This is arguably the purest capitalist city in the country. A big public works project that says "look who we are" ain't us.

Not to stray off topic, but how so? More 'capitalist' than say, New York? Wasn't the Astrodome a big public work project that said "look who we are"? It certainly was promoted that way for years.

[livincinco]

How so?

Specifically in the way that particular neighborhoods evolve and decline, we're seeing that right now in areas like Washington Avenue. I would also cite the way that immigration is impacting the city and causing it to change character.

Not to stray off topic, but how so? More 'capitalist' than say, New York? Wasn't the Astrodome a big public work project that said "look who we are"? It certainly was promoted that way for years.

Sure, Manhattan, in particular is usually associated with capitalism, but also consider the history of extensive rent control, strong labor unions, and the general tendencies of New York State. Maybe a more accurate term would be that Houston is more of an example of true "free market" capitalism.

Regarding the Astrodome, I agree with your points, but would comment that it is at least a functional project. I was referring more specifically to the Eiffel Tower comments.

[Simbha]

Specifically in the way that particular neighborhoods evolve and decline, we're seeing that right now in areas like Washington Avenue. I would also cite the way that immigration is impacting the city and causing it to change character.

I think other cities develop in a similar way. I think it just happens to be Houston's turn for this type of development but cities such as NYC and Boston had their turn in the past, and other cities will likely experience this in the future. The point is that I don't believe this is unique to Houston.

Sure, Manhattan, in particular is usually associated with capitalism, but also consider the history of extensive rent control, strong labor unions, and the general tendencies of New York State. Maybe a more accurate term would be that Houston is more of an example of true "free market" capitalism.

Regarding the Astrodome, I agree with your points, but would comment that it is at least a functional project. I was referring more specifically to the Eiffel Tower comments.

While the Eiffel Tower wasn't originally functional (being constructed temporarily for the World's Fair), it ended up being useful as a communications tower.

[livincinco]

I think other cities develop in a similar way. I think it just happens to be Houston's turn for this type of development but cities such as NYC and Boston had their turn in the past, and other cities will likely experience this in the future. The point is that I don't believe this is unique to Houston.

Yes, but I do believe that the overall lack of regulation/zoning in Houston impacts this process, as well as the high growth rate (and immigration rate) of the area. While I agree that this is a natural evolution for many cities, I would argue that the pace with which it is occurring in Houston is higher than most because of the factors I mentioned above.