 |
|
|
|
|
|
Manhattan�s skyline�. In truth the twin towers were nothing anyone ever really loved as architecture (with the exception of the architect and maybe David and Nelson Rockefeller). They were simply two tall stacks with tiny windows (attributed to architect Minoru Yamasaki�s ironic fear of heights) that became accepted as part of the skyline. Due to their size and domination they eventually stole the role of �City Icon� from the Empire State building. But, as buildings they were completely out of step with the character of New York; particularly downtown. Putting aside for a moment the horrible loss of human life and the economic impact, in terms of esthetics alone the downtown skyline looks more natural without the domination of the twin towers. |
|
|
 |
|
Downtown Manhattan today |
|
|
|
The seven architectural teams have come up with designs that break out into 3 general categories: Monoliths, Minimal and Other. As to the first category, enter the design submitted by Foster and Partners, the so called �kissing towers�. Apparently the idea was to recreate the brutally minimalist WTC towers with more of a human touch as exemplified in the undulating flow of the faceted sides and the manner in which the towers are attached (how they �kiss�). On one hand, it�s the twin towers made au currant. On the other, what is understood as �au currant� here? The Kissing Towers recall nothing so much as those modern floor lamps from the 70�s; something Macy�s might have advertised as part of their �contemporary collection� from 1978, for example. This design offers three things: A recreation of the same domineering esthetic, the original disconnect regarding the surrounding architecture and a style that recollects the (later) 70s. |
|
|
The group of architects known as THINK has two out of three offerings that fit within the Monoliths category, the World Cultural Center and Sky |
|
|
Previous Page |
|
|
|
