Favorite Skyscrapers (old, new, proposed, cancelled)

[John]

Thought it would be fun to start a more visual thread for skyscraper fanatics to post photos of their favorite towers. My first entry is for a skycraper proposal that was cancelled in Vancouver BC in the early 2000's. This was Vancouver architect Bing Thom's 57-story (600 feet) Crystal Tower proposal adjoining the historic Georgia Hotel . The elegant and slender crystalline shape was really a work of art. At its base it was a masonry neoclassical facade that subtly transitioned to an all glass tower at the upper levels. It was both an exuberant modern sculpture in its own right, yet elegantly recalls the forms of an art deco skyscraper. A masterpiece in skyscraper design!

[Nathan]

Yeah, a perfect tower for a city like mpls... let's just revive it and drop that in DTE North of the Armory. It has such a classic silhouette, but such modern flare.

[Lancestar2]

Neat idea. It reminds me a bit of the RBC Plaza which is one buiding I really like downtown along with the Capella tower. Also I like the Wells Fargo how the lights reflect off other buildings which is really neat. Other than that I don't follow to much besides the two years I been active in this community so I don't have much of a long list to pick from.

Also I really love the view of the 494 drive around 77 to 169 That's where I had my 2nd apartment and loved living around that area always lovely views while stuck in traffic! granted they are not super tall buildings but they are nicely spaced out to better view them and they do look pretty at night. If my memory serves me right one of them is lit up with a lovely pink at night.

[John]

Yeah, a perfect tower for a city like mpls... let's just revive it and drop that in DTE North of the Armory. It has such a classic silhouette, but such modern flare.

Here is a rendering of the cancelled Waterview Tower in Chicago. I think this would be a great prototype design for the new tallest skyscraper in Minneapolis. It would be a great synthesis between our modern glassy towers and our older art deco building ( and Wells Fargo). It's very graceful and slender form would have a magnifacent profile on our skyline!

[Nathan]

I'm clinically obsessed with Frank Gehry's NY Apartments... so here is that too... le sigh...

[John]

The architecture of this futuristic office tower complex (under construction in Kiev, Ukraine ) has some great design elements that would work well for a development on the Nicollet Mall surface parking directly east of The Central Library. I love the street level and how they "peel" the skin of the building on the corner to greet the street level. The building's beautiful interplay of vertical geometric forms creates a wonderful sense of drama and fun for the pedestrian. The building's forceful geometry extends the energy of the building outward into negative space so it creates a connection and dialogue with other buildings around it. A fantastic contemporary skyscraper!

[John]

I'm clinically obsessed with Frank Gehry's NY Apartments... so here is that too... le sigh...

Love this building!! Hey, its much better to be clinically obsessed with skyscrapers than being addicted to meth, heroin, or alcohol. eh?

[Nathan]

Love this building!! Hey, its better to be clinically obsessed with skyscrapers than doing meth, heroin, or alcohol. eh?

Yeah, but when I visited it in May, people around me probably did think I was on something ;D

[lordmoke]

John, that first building you posted is absolutely stunning. It's a crime that it didn't get built.

As for myself, I know it's boring and cliche because we all live here, but the Norwest Center has to be my favorite building. It looks great both at day and night, and the strong vertical lines make it look much taller and sleeker than it is (a feature shared by the IDS.) I could look at that thing for hours on end, and I'm very thankful we got it here.

A close runner-up would have to be PPG Place in Pittsburgh. I am quite envious of it, and wish gothic architecture would be modernized like this more often:
[thumbnail]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... e-2007.jpg[/thumbnail]

[John]

Love this building!! Hey, its better to be clinically obsessed with skyscrapers than doing meth, heroin, or alcohol. eh?

Yeah, but when I visited it in May, people around me probably did think I was on something ;D

Well, you were in Manhattan with 7 million other crazy people, so I doubt anyone batted an eye!

[Nathan]

John, that first building you posted is absolutely stunning. It's a crime that it didn't get built.

As for myself, I know it's boring and cliche because we all live here, but the Norwest Center has to be my favorite building. It looks great both at day and night, and the strong vertical lines make it look much taller and sleeker than it is (a feature shared by the IDS.) I could look at that thing for hours on end, and I'm very thankful we got it here.

A close runner-up would have to be PPG Place in Pittsburgh. I am quite envious of it, and wish gothic architecture would be modernized like this more often:
[thumbnail]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... e-2007.jpg[/thumbnail]

I want to go to Pittsburgh just to see this! lol

[mplsjaromir]

John, that first building you posted is absolutely stunning. It's a crime that it didn't get built.

As for myself, I know it's boring and cliche because we all live here, but the Norwest Center has to be my favorite building. It looks great both at day and night, and the strong vertical lines make it look much taller and sleeker than it is (a feature shared by the IDS.) I could look at that thing for hours on end, and I'm very thankful we got it here.

A close runner-up would have to be PPG Place in Pittsburgh. I am quite envious of it, and wish gothic architecture would be modernized like this more often:
[thumbnail]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... e-2007.jpg[/thumbnail]

My second favorite tower built in the last fifty years after the Wells Fargo Tower.

[John]

As for myself, I know it's boring and cliche because we all live here, but the Norwest Center has to be my favorite building. It looks great both at day and night, and the strong vertical lines make it look much taller and sleeker than it is (a feature shared by the IDS.) I could look at that thing for hours on end, and I'm very thankful we got it here.

Lordmoke, The Wells Fargo building is a masterpiece! Arguably, the best skyscraper design of Cesar Pelli next to one of best skyscraper designs by Phillip Johnson (the IDS). Amazing.

[lordmoke]

As for myself, I know it's boring and cliche because we all live here, but the Norwest Center has to be my favorite building. It looks great both at day and night, and the strong vertical lines make it look much taller and sleeker than it is (a feature shared by the IDS.) I could look at that thing for hours on end, and I'm very thankful we got it here.

Lordmoke, The Wells Fargo building is a masterpiece! Arguably, the best skyscraper design of Cesar Pelli next to one of best skyscraper designs by Phillip Johnson (the IDS). Amazing.

Definitely agree with that! Johnson was a master. He actually did the PPG Place that I posted a picture of as well.

And on that note, it really speaks to his skill that a building this similar can be so ugly while the IDS is so elegant:
[thumbnail]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _Tower.jpg[/thumbnail]

Great job, Dallas. Haha.

[Nathan]

I love this potential building in Manhattan... The theory behind it is great to if you scroll through the slides...

http://www.big.dk/#projects-w57

[John]

I love this potential building in Manhattan... The theory behind it is great to if you scroll through the slides...

http://www.big.dk/#projects-w57

It is a very thoughfully composed complex that is really about improving the quality of life for people live in extremely dense urban centers ( which I think now is the majority of people on earth). I love how they take advantage of natural sunlight, and creates a strong sense of spaciousness with lovely views for its users. And the building is very dramatic in form and fun to look at! I like the way they transform the idea of a traditional Danish courtyard into something new and unique. A visionary approach to urban design and ahead of its time.

[John]

Edgar Street Towers designed by IwamotoScott Architecture of San Francisco. Will become an iconic landmark of New York City with its dramatic presence at both the street level and the skyline. The building has a bio-filtration system between floors that cleans the air inside the tower. At night the building is lit up by solar powered fiber optics that are energized during daylight. A wonderful "green" skyscraper.

[John]

A beautiful conceptual design for an office tower in Tianjin China by Nadel Architects from LA. It would be great to see something creative built for our Minneapolis skyline.

[John]

Cesar Pelli's Bank of America in Charlotte NC. Has one of the most beautiful skyscraper crowns ever designed:

[John]

The architectural firm Axis Mundi of New York's conceptual proposal for a condo skycraper at The Museum of Modern Art at West 53rd Street in 2009. The idea was to create a dense urban neighborhood that was vertical rather than hosrizontal. Interesting proposal and definitely not boring! Apparently created quite a sensation in NYC with many strong favorable reviews at the time.