WOWWWWWW!

[BarbaricManchurian]

This is a proposal for a supertall skyscraper in Chongqing. Sculptural. Dense. Pulsing with vitality. Urban. Beautiful. Stunning. Green. What more can I say?

 

[BarbaricManchurian]

Also, check the architect's website, they seem to consistently have some of the best architecture of any architect I've seen.

http://www.i-mad.com

 

[BarbaricManchurian]

Most of their designs seem to focus on curves, but there are a few exceptions:

 

[Patriots_1228]

how are any of those beautiful? The skyscraper you focused on looks like a stack of dinner plates. The other one looks like a cheese grater....this kind of architecture isn't "innovative", its too "out of left field", unattractive, and basically sends a message:"hey, we suck, so we build phallic towers to compensate for the overall crappiness of our city."

 

[Beton Brut]

Then there's Aqua, in Chicago.

I'll bring back pix after my visit over Labor Day.

 

[kz1000ps]

Ahhh I'm dying to get to Chicago and see Aqua, among others.

About these.. I don't know. On one hand they're interesting as pure sculptural (and I'm sure architectural) pieces, but they rarely seem to work well as elements of the skyline. Although no such skyline exists yet, I don't picture a city made up of these as being pretty to look at.

 

[Beton Brut]

The concept of the free-form floorplate begins with John Lautner.

The Chongqing tower is little more than 80 Arango Houses stacked up like a Jenga game.

 

[bostonbred]

these twiSSty tornadoe ones coSTAlot more to build???

 

[BarbaricManchurian]

how are any of those beautiful? The skyscraper you focused on looks like a stack of dinner plates. The other one looks like a cheese grater....this kind of architecture isn't "innovative", its too "out of left field", unattractive, and basically sends a message:"hey, we suck, so we build phallic towers to compensate for the overall crappiness of our city."

What kind of skyscraper do you think looks good? And seriously, you're calling Chongqing a crappy city? In the other cases that may be true, but Chongqing has already a good enough skyline without this (think of an Asian Manhattan) so they could choose not to build this and the skyline would still look stunning. Besides, this is only 1 of 3 possible designs for the plot.

Ahhh I'm dying to get to Chicago and see Aqua, among others.

About these.. I don't know. On one hand they're interesting as pure sculptural (and I'm sure architectural) pieces, but they rarely seem to work well as elements of the skyline. Although no such skyline exists yet, I don't picture a city made up of these as being pretty to look at.

Hmmm, yeah, a skyline full of these would not look good but one or two of these would add an exclamation point to an already good skyline (in Chongqing's case). This might work in San Francisco, where the palate is already leaning toward white, and would be like a more extreme Transamerica Pyramid, but definitely would not work in Boston, it would be an unwelcome contrast imo.

 

[Corey]

It's interesting and at the least is a good conversation starter.

 

[Beton Brut]

All in all, I prefer SOM's entry into the San Francisco Transbay development competition.

Like a modern interpretation of the Eiffel Tower. A shame this won't be built.

 

[kennedy]

I love that design, definitely one of SOM's better designs recently.

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

Yeah, they can actually do good work when they try.

 

[BarbaricManchurian]

I think Pelli's design for that plot, similar to 2ifc in Hong Kong, solidifies their ties as sister cities, one which is a Westernized Asian city, and the other which is an Asianized Western city. It's unlikely to be built anyway, San Francisco NIMBYs make even Ned look tame plus (my sad catchphrase unfortunately) 'the demand just isn't there'.

 

[unterbau]

Pretty much all three finalists for the transbay tower were world class. I wouldn't be surprised to see either SOM or Rogers build something similar in another city.

 

[Beton Brut]

I really liked the Rogers proposal as well.

It seemed to reference the Sutro tower.

 

[kennedy]

I don't know, I think it might be a little bit too utilitarian for my tastes. Looks like a skyscraper version of this:

 

[Patriots_1228]

wow. so there can be good supermodern towers...that one is lovely. One of the best "big proposals", better than the freedom tower and even the chicago spire.

 

[Patrick]

ultra modern towers are nice, but this one looks a little too out of place. It does look like dishes. Although, I have to say I like the garden design/node and the tubular skybridge. Those look very nice. There is also, for anyone who is interested, a nice article of a tour of Aqua in Chicago in the first issue of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban habitat Journal (it is $10 a copy or free online at their website, ctbuh.com or something).

I like the first design posted for the transbay in san fran, but not the second. In fact, the second is not good looking at all, in my opinion. The red just looks bad.

A district that is really shaping up quite nicely is the supertall area of Shanghai, with Shanghai world financial center and its new neighbor now in construction. Very nice.

then there is also this plan, for moscow, which has been scaled back and is now no longer being built. kind of looks like it came from san fran.

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

Architecture porn!