February 24, 200817 yr Author look at the weird fun house glass going up on this thing: more pics & remarks: http://curbed.com/archives/2008/02/22/rendering_reality_785_eighth_avenue.php#more
February 26, 200817 yr That is really cool. I've never seen a building with wavy glass on it like that before.
February 26, 200817 yr That is really cool. I've never seen a building with wavy glass on it like that before. ...problem is, it probably wasn't supposed to be so wavy... From the same website mrnyc links to (which is worth a read, btw): NYC has seen a rash of raining plate glass from recent building projects which is why sights like this raise people's...interest.
March 31, 200817 yr Found a couple of new renderings of this tower in an article about Jean Nouvel winning the 2008 Pritzker Prize (the architectural equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize). http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/Feature248.htm
March 31, 200817 yr Author arrrgh -- it's my fav skyscraper tower project, but it looks like it may have run into a recent hurdle with the nimby-minded local community board (whats the matter with them? this is midtown right? geesh). Residents Rail Against Current MoMA Skyscraper Plans by Eliot Brown | March 11, 2008 A planned 75-story residential skyscraper connected to the Museum of Modern Art seems headed for a fight with area residents, who claim the Jean Nouvel-designed tower would be dramatically out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood. The proposed condo and hotel tower at 53 West 53rd Street, which would rise next door to and contain 50,000 square feet of added space for the museum, was hailed by New York Times’ architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff as “the most exhilarating addition to the skyline in a generation.” Given a complex set of air-rights transfers, the developers of the tower, Hines, would need a set of public approvals, starting with the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, and ultimately the City Planning Commission and the City Council. A Community Board 5 committee, which has an advisory role, unanimously voted against the development rights transfers last week, and the full board votes Thursday. MORE: http://www.observer.com ** reactions: wired fans are bombarding cb5 -- sample reader remarks: David Everitt Howe says: RitaSue Siegel: out of scale?! Are you on drugs? It's Midtown! If you can't build tall buildings in Midtown, where are you supposed to build them? This Nouvel design is an exhilarating proposal for the New York City skyline. The residents of East 53rd Street need to be reminded that they live in a densely populated art and design capital of the world, not in Seaside, Florida--rather than another blocky, nondescript tower, architecture in New York should be daring, provocative, and inspiring. March 12, 2008 7:16 PM
March 31, 200817 yr CB5 = banana elitist posers (banana: build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything)
April 21, 200817 yr Renzo Piano's New York Times Building ArchitectureWeek by Michael J. Crosbie Ask most architects to name the most elemental ingredients of great architecture, and chances are they will say "space and light." But these are not necessarily the first two words that come to mind when thinking about skyscrapers, especially tall buildings in New York City.
April 21, 200817 yr Boo! NYC architecture. The average lifespan of a skyscraper in new york city is 35 years. It's like investing emotionally in a dog knowings its going to die in 15 years :( it sucks! Nice building though.
April 21, 200817 yr I think certain elements are very appealing (the exposed corners/staircases for starters), but calling it "off white" is being a bit generous. The initial renderings called for the ceramic rods/screens to be white, but they were value-engineered and on overcast days, well... let's just say that good weather is this building's best friend: clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
April 21, 200817 yr It depends on how much of a landmark a building becomes, I think. The Empre State Building and Chrysler building have been around way longer, but they are, of course, not the norm. The amount of beautiful buildings that are just torn down to make way for new development is ridiculous, I think. Buildings are somewhat disposable. Personally, I think NYC is plagued with overdevelopmentalism. I seriously hate it sometimes. There's no regard for history, only a developer's dollar. This city is so driven by people with big pocketbooks, it's not even funny. (Is overdevelopmentalism even a word? I just invented a word!)
April 21, 200817 yr Here's an interesting take on the Nouvel MoMA tower... Where a 75-Story Tower Blends Right In The “contextualists” have it all wrong: Jean Nouvel’s beast is exactly what 53rd Street needs By Justin Davidson Published Apr 17, 2008 Why is it so much easier in New York to erect a dreary tower than a marvelous one? Hundreds of great gray glass blobs and mouse-colored moneymakers have gone up all over Manhattan in recent years with barely a shrug of protest. The conspiracy of ugliness has no opposition. Yet Jean Nouvel’s spectacular, soul-strengthening design for a 75-story tower on West 53rd Street has gotten some neighbors high on parochial outrage. The community board urged that the proposal be rejected, and the crowd at a recent Landmarks Preservation Committee meeting reacted as if the architect had floated a plan to dump nuclear waste in Central Park. Such attacks may represent the opinions of a few malcontents with afternoon sunlight to protect, but the shrillest voices can have a disproportionate effect on a proposal, and this project’s specialness makes it vulnerable. MORE: http://nymag.com/arts/architecture/features/46191/
April 21, 200817 yr Nice photos MayDay! That's my take on the building too. I like the tower. But not as much as its initial renderings. The renderings gave the Times Building a bright white appearance. As built its more off-white to gray depending on the lighting conditions. But its still very innovative. Guess you could call this Times building "The New Gray Lady".
April 21, 200817 yr Yeah it's a cool looking building. Empire still takes the cake in my book, it's still cool to see as I walk to work everyday.
April 21, 200817 yr I like it, but it's definitely middle of the road for Manhattan architecture. That's just me though.
April 27, 200817 yr Author Guess you could call this Times building "The New Gray Lady". yep -- that's exactly why they went with gray. i like it ok, but agree its just middle of the road for a tower. the mesh facade trend is wearing thin on me (as with the new museum downtown). i do tend to glance uptown at it everyday from my streetcorner, but not like you would the esb. btw it's going to be blocked on the northside by a new (blah looking) tower on the se corner of 42nd/8th.
April 29, 200817 yr It's okay as long as it doesn't look like death on the skyline as the renderings suggest. I'd prefer shine over rusted razor blades.
June 1, 200817 yr Author i'm glad i searched first, i forgot i had a thread on this! this revamped tower was officially revealed today at a press conference on the site. it sure looks better (except the retro base is silly). one for sure good thing is its not luxury, its market rate apts. here are the new renderings via curbed blog: Gehry & Ratner Officially Reveal the Beekman Tower Friday, May 30, 2008 Today at noon, Frank Gehry's 76-story rental building—the Beekman Tower—was supposed to be officially unveiled (after previously showing it off to locals) at a press conference down on Spruce Street just east of City Hall. The event was canceled in the wake of the crane collapse uptown. At least, that's what we were told. Apparently, some sort of event went on, because both The Real Deal and The Architect's Newspaper have first-hand accounts of the proceedings. The Architect's Newspaper also has the renderings of the Forest City Ratner-developed FiDi building, seen above. No signs of that graffiti logo (phew), and here are some more details on the 903-unit building: Gehry said that he would have liked to use titanium, but it seems that the wonder material is too fragile for New York window-washing equipment. A six-story industrial brick podium (Gehry said to think “Starrett-Lehigh”) will include space for a 630-student public school for grades Pre-K through 3; offices for doctors from New York Downtown Hospital; and 1,300 square feet of retail, for dry cleaners and drug stores, not Jean Georges and Chanel. Two plazas on William and Nassau streets will be landscaped by Field Operations. Gehry himself is still working out the details of the kitchen and bath designs, and the lobby will be beribboned with signature wavy bits of steel, reminding residents that they are indeed renting a real Gehry. Rents are expected to start at a gazillion dollars. · Unveiled: Beekman Tower [ArchPaper] · Beekman Tower takes shape [trD] · Beekman Tower coverage [Curbed] comments here: http://curbed.com/archives/2008/05/30/gehry_ratner_officially_reveal_the_beekman_tower.php?o=0 ***** here's a few pics i took of the foundation for wired new york (1/27/08) -- i haven't been down there lately, but they said it's up past 2 stories now (how's that for a late reveal of the final design?): http://host.wirednewyork.com/~edward/forum/showthread.php?t=4305&page=127
June 1, 200817 yr I've really seen worse. I understand people's criticisms with some of the new architecture going up in NYC. A lot of it is very different, but I can see the direction the city is trying to go. Booming cities all over the world are going for cutting edge buildings, using the latest in technology and the freshest ideas in design. While it may be appropriate for more modern cities, finding a place for this type of design is difficult for cities with a lot of history and conservative boxy construction (such as NYC). I don't know whether to be disappointed or happy. Being world class means having some landmark buildings. Chicago's Millennium Park is wacky in its sculpture but stirs a lot of interest and has become a new point in identity for people all over the world. On the other hand, a trendy tower goes up amongst a bunch of nineteenth century brownstones and its context can seem out of place, yet developers use it as an excuse to building a community that is on the cutting edge. There's a reason why the city of Dubai built the new downtown with all that new architecture away from the historical city center. Planners and residents felt it was way out of context, and indeed to many it is, even when its in the middle of a sandy desert.
June 1, 200817 yr Author hayward the funny thing here is they are trying to do both things you are talking about, ie., cutting edge vs conservative, at the same time.....in the same building. check out the wacky difference between the modern tower and the lame retro warehouse-looking base (which will be a public school). jolting to say the least! from what i have read recently most local uo-type peoples seem to be in favor of it. myself included.
June 1, 200817 yr Really it's an okay tower, but if you would have let Gehry run free, you know this product would have been very different, and probably disastrous looking.
June 6, 200817 yr 2 Men Scale New York Times Building Hours Apart NEW YORK TIMES By JAMES BARRON Published: June 6, 2008 Two men, one a practiced French stuntman known for climbing tall buildings, the other a New Yorker who said he wanted to raise awareness of the dangers of malaria, scaled the 52-story New York Times Building in Times Square on Thursday just hours apart. Each was arrested when he stepped safely onto the roof. The first, Alain Robert, the Frenchman, went up the north face of the year-old skyscraper in the morning, unfurling a bright green banner near the top. The words on the banner were illegible from the sidewalk, but from office windows inside the tower the message could be clearly read: “Global warming kills more people than 9/11 every week.” The other, identified by the police as Renaldo Clarke, 32, of Brooklyn, climbed the Eighth Avenue side starting about 6 p.m. A spokeswoman for The Times, Catherine J. Mathis, said that after the first climber was arrested, two additional building security guards were assigned to patrol the area outside, on 40th and 41st Streets. Both climbers grabbed onto one of the building’s most distinctive features, the ladderlike horizontal rods that form an exterior curtain surrounding the floor-to-ceiling windows. And then, in turn, they were off on a hand-over-hand trip up the face of a New York skyscraper, with no ropes or harnesses, a trip that left the cellphone-camera-snapping crowds that swirled below thinking of Spider-Man, or maybe King Kong. Alain Robert, a Frenchman known for climbing tall buildings, was met by officers at the roof. He had unfurled a banner protesting global warming. Later in the day, a man identified by the police as Renaldo Clarke scaled the tower’s western side, where people on the 50th floor watched his ascent. Read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/nyregion/06climber.html
June 7, 200817 yr Of all the design issues with the New York Times Building, I'll bet the architect never thought people climbing the exterior sunscreen "like a ladder" would be one!
June 7, 200817 yr Times Tower Installs Spider Repellent Curbed.com Attention all professional and amateur daredevils: You had your fun, but the New York Times would like you to keep your hands off of their starchitecture, por favor. Renzo Piano's oversized stepladder is now spider-free, thanks to some wooden barricades installed this morning. So if you want to call attention to global warming, malaria, gas prices, affordable housing or the disappointing selection at Muji, you're going to have to take it somewhere else. Read more at http://curbed.com/archives/2008/06/06/times_tower_installs_spider_repellent.php
June 8, 200817 yr Author geez i was in the bronx in a bar on 149th st when that was going on. interesting commentary to say the least!
June 9, 200817 yr Gehry should never EVER design skyscrapers. His style is just not well suited to be vertically oriented. Thank GOD that garbage heap he designed for Brooklyn got redesigned. I do appreciate his style on a smaller scale though. The Guggenheim in Bilbao and the Dancing House in Prague are both fantastic buildings, but outside of those he seems very limited. The Strata Center at MIT is falling apart after only a few short years and Disney Hall in LA nearly roasted a few people with it's reflection problems. To me, this indicates that he doesn't do nearly enough research before designing a building. He's a pop architect. One who designs crap that the mass will gobble up.
June 9, 200817 yr I really like Gehry's building at UC, it's much more subtle and it's brick, which is why I like it. ^I agree, AJ. He shouldn't do skyscrapers for the reasons you mentioned.
June 10, 200817 yr Sorry to keep coming back to those two loons who climbed the New York Times Building, but this article is so funny... Climbing the Times Architects weigh in on Gray Lady's facade problem The Architects Newspaper 06.06.2008 Most of New York City is well aware of yesterday’s death-defying stunts at the New York Times Building, where two climbers scaled the facade of Renzo Piano’s latticework tower before being taken into police custody on the roof. When asked about the paper’s plans to climb-proof the building (and its now tantalizingly ladder-like ceramic rods), a spokesperson for the New York Times Company replied that “design modifications are under consideration.” With that in mind, AN asked some of the city’s most inventive architectural minds how they might tackle this urgent design challenge. The obvious person to address the tower’s dangers was the Genoan master himself, Piano, as well as his executive architects FXFowle. Both declined comment, as well as numerous other architects unwilling to criticize a comrade’s work. http://archpaper.com/e-board_rev.asp?News_ID=1770&PagePosition=1
July 9, 200816 yr Author as the teletubbies would say...again! again! :roll: July 9, 2008, 3:11 am Third Man Climbs Times Building and Is Arrested By Tanzina Vega climberPolice officers escorted David Malone from the New York Times building early Wednesday. (Photo: Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times) Updated, 8:48 a.m. | A man scaled the front of the New York Times building in Midtown Manhattan in the predawn darkness early Wednesday — the third time in five weeks that a climber had scaled the one-year-old skyscraper, which is sheathed in thin ceramic rods. After staying on the building for about four hours, the man surrendered to police officers and was arrested around 5:20 a.m. Unlike the two previous climbers, this one — identified as David Malone, an activist who studies Al Qaeda — did not attempt to make his way to the roof. Instead, he unfurled a banner around the fifth floor of the 52-story building, before climbing a few more stories. Several hours elapsed during which the police appeared to alternate between trying to go after the man and waiting for him to surrender. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/third-man-climbs-times-building/index.html?hp
July 9, 200816 yr How did I miss this thread? Kind of funny. Love the shot with the people taking photos of the climber. What else does the building have going for itself? It isn't exactly the most beautiful building in Manhattan. At times Piano really falls short, and this is a good example. Looks more like architecture by committee. I haven't seen the completed building except in photographs, but saw it going up last year and thought the final result would be better.
July 9, 200816 yr Author sfspike the building is like a house door with a screen door in front of it. so those climbers are like the flies or mayflies on your screendoor. mesh facades = el stupido building trend. what else? the eastern side of it has a low rise annex with the muji store that has hardly anything in it! oh and one more thing -- the northside view is on the way to being blocked off by a really horrible bland tower right next to it on 42nd st that will have some brightly lit signs and other gee-gaw nonsense to hide it's utter mediocrity. umm, thats all i can think of to say about it. :laugh:
July 9, 200816 yr My hands literally get sweaty just watching those guys. It must've been such a rush.
July 9, 200816 yr I say climb up there. then make them stay! let one or two fall. That will teach the copy cats!
July 10, 200816 yr Yet more proof that everyone loves (to climb) The New York Times (building) :wink:
July 11, 200816 yr Author since i had the camera along this morning.... the low-rise muji store annex here's the bland new one going up on the corner of 8th ave & 42nd st it will block the north face of the times building
July 12, 200816 yr The only shame in all this is that a Frenchman was the first to climb the building. This is the sort of foolishness in which America used to reign supreme.
July 15, 200816 yr Author actually the french have a long history of this kind of stunt in new york - vive le france! :laugh:
August 11, 200816 yr Author i haven't been down there lately, but for an update wiredny has noticed that construction on this one is up to the 8th floor recently:
August 11, 200816 yr Gehry is extremely arrogant. I read some quotes from him in New York magazine. "People stand outside and protest my buildings while they're being built, then when it's done, I talk to people and they say they love it, so I don't worry about it" or something to that extent.
August 12, 200816 yr I think i preferred the first ones. A bit more unconventional and whatnot. I can understand why people don't like him. Too .. non-conformist? Too original?
August 12, 200816 yr Yeah. It's not like he has some weird commune of young male architects and has abandoned his wife and children for another woman.
August 29, 200816 yr I am not a fan of his work, but after his talk at the Intercontinental Hotel with Peter B. Lewis, I am a fan of him as a person. He is actually totally down to earth and shuns the term "starchitect".
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