Starchitects on trial ...

[JohnAKeith]

Apparently, the competition to design the skyscraper at 425 Park Ave was highly contested. As part of the competition, four star architects presented their visions to the board of L&L Holding Company.

I haven't watched yet but I imagine quite an interesting set of videos.

You've seen them posing in magazines, performing in lecture theatres and maybe even shouting across the office. But it is unlikely you've ever sat behind a boardroom table and given Richard Rogers, Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas or Norman Foster a grilling.

Well, now you can see what it might be like. The series of videos below offers a fascinating insight into how this generation of "starchitects" behaves under pressure, as they each pitch to win one of the most high-profile competitions in recent years: a new tower for L&L Holding Company on Park Avenue in New York. The site has such daunting neighbours as Mies van der Rohe's Seagram building, and it will be the first full-block office tower to be built on the street in almost half a century.

The presentations: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddes...12/nov/19/architects-zaha-hadid-norman-foster

Their decision: http://vimeo.com/425park/videos

 

[BarbaricManchurian]

Full-block office tower? Doesn't sound too promising.