Archinect - News

New Yorkers are still pissed about disrupted view sheds and 262 Fifth Avenue

2024-03-10T08:00:00-04:00

“It really pisses me off,” Clark said while standing in the plaza in front of the Flatiron Building on Fifth Avenue, a few blocks south of the dueling skyscrapers. “The whole New York skyline has been destroyed. When I moved here I was thrilled with it, and now it’s just getting disgusting. These new buildings have no identity, no design to them. We’ve lost the character of New York, and it breaks my heart.”

The Guardian goes inside some locals' struggle against the new 262 Fifth Avenue condo tower by Meganom and SLCE Architects. The East Siders protesting their obstructed view sheds are also not in favor of its appearance or the design for 432 Park Avenue, including several inspired teen critics on TikTok.

NYT critic Michael Kimmelman also wrote of their plight last year, declaring theirs and other opposition attempts a noble attempt at restoring the city’s history in an era defined by zoning manipulation and visible inequality.

A preservationist named Jorge Otero-Pailos told Kimmelman last October that new regulations are needed to “guarantee a collective experience, a sense of shared identity and civic meaning, which can bind New Yorkers across generations and centuries.”

Michael Kimmelman again asks: 'Should New York regulate its skyline?'

2023-10-25T15:11:00-04:00

A generation ago, the New York skyline was a global icon, shaped more or less like a suspension bridge stretched between the Empire State and the Twin Towers, making it possible to, say, pop out of some unfamiliar subway station, gaze up toward the clouds and orient oneself along the skyline’s north-south axis. Today, the skyline is vastly more complex, far-flung and difficult to picture, and it’s common to hear complaints that the city has lost its bearings.

The addition of Meganom and SLCE’s 860-foot 262 Fifth Avenue tower to New York’s accidental skyline also raises questions about legislating ‘view sheds’ and historic sightlines around the city, Michael Kimmelman writes. The city currently only has one protected vista overlooking the Financial District from Brooklyn Heights. Developers have famously been manipulating the local zoning code governing allowable height in order to receive approvals, an issue Kimmelman has preached about in earnest for the past decade.

“It’s time to rethink our assumptions,” preservationist Jorge Otero-Pailos tells him, before adding his opinion that regulations would “guarantee a collective experience, a sense of shared identity and civic meaning, which can bind New Yorkers across generations and centuries.”

Construction of 262 Fifth Avenue is expected to wrap up by the end of 2024.

Will Austin’s tall-buildings boom survive the skyscraper effect and looming tech recession?

2023-01-19T17:52:00-05:00

But joining the fraternity of cities with supertalls can also be a dubious distinction: Real estate is a lagging indicator, and skyscrapers often arrive after the boom is over, looming half-empty as monuments to a bust. Others, however, are convinced that Austin’s high-rise stampede is just getting started. Given the city’s emerging significance as a next-gen manufacturing hub this building boom could defy the skyscraper effect.

With a slate of high-rises and supertalls, including KPF’s Waterline design and the record-setting Wilson Tower from HKS in the works, Bloomberg asks if the pace of development can be sustained amidst tech’s downturn and the annals of urban economic history. The salvation apparently lies in the influx of manufacturing dollars into the city, along with a downtown area that offers what some consider to be the nation’s highest overall quality of living.

A planned cap-and-stitch project could add even more commercial parcels along a stretch of I-35 downtown beginning in 2025. The risks of repeating the same tax incentive-driven boom-bust cycle that led to so many of Dubai’s architectural headaches a decade ago are not lost on developers. For now, Austin’s only real crisis is the affordability of homes and a dearth of convenient worker housing.

Studio Gang envisions a tree-inspired mixed-use project to add to Denver's skyline

2021-02-01T17:18:00-05:00

Inspired by the area's natural landscapes and environment, Studio Gang reveals the latest visuals for their most recent mix-used project Populus. Located in Denver, along the city's historic Civic Center Park, the project pulls reference from the aspen tree by using its highly recognizable "eye-shaped" marked bark to design its facade, distinct building color, and vertical scalloped exterior.

Aspen Trees. Image © Sue Reynolds (2012) via Flickr Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Visuals courtesy of Studio Gang

The 13 stories tall building will house forty micro-apartments as well as 250 hotel rooms. Studio Gang collaborated with Denver-based developer Urban Villages. With the aspen tree as its visual muse, it's hard not to see the resemblance. According to the studio, the project's name "Populus" was also pulled from the scientific classification of the aspen tree populus tremuloides.

View more project images below.

Visuals courtesy of Studio Gang

Concept diagram. Visual courtesy of Studio...

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture envision 724-foot glass tower for Miami's Brickell neighborhood

2020-02-05T12:30:00-05:00

Over the years, the Miami has become synonymous with its collection of ultra-luxe residential towers and its constantly evolving skyline. In fact, with over 300 skyscrapers situated across its various business, residential, and commercial districts, the city offers the "third-largest skyline" in the U.S. based on the number of high-rises, falling behind only Chicago and New York. Work on that skyline is continuing apace once again with the construction of 830 Brickell, a new 724-foot luxury commercial tower.

The Miami Herald reports the new office building will be the second tallest office tower in Miami-Dade County. Construction broke ground in 2019 at the site of the tower, which is designed by Chicago-based architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill and features interior designs by Italian architecture firm Iosa Ghini Associati.

830 Bickell. Image render © Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture

830 Bickell. Ima...

Does a critique of Austin's 1980s skyline hold up?

2019-12-06T12:56:00-05:00

Was Postmodernism ever popular? In 1986, at the height of the Po-Mo era, Newsweek's art and architecture critic Douglas Davis wrote a scathing review of Austin's newly built-up skyline, pinpointing his "disgust" towards the “riot of wretched excess” symbolized by the new Postmodern style buildings that filled the downtown area during that time. James Rambin of Towers provides us with a reminder of Davis' perspective, specifically regarding the One American Center, a tower designed by architects Morris-Aubry (the company merged with Dallas-based Huitt-Zollar in 2012) that is now known as 600 Congress.

Rambin shares an excerpt from Davis's 1986 critic: "By common consent, the old glass boxes were boring. But they were at least reticent. Their successors, in contrast, are often aggressively ugly, as unforgettable as bad dreams.”

One American Center now rebranded as 600 Congress. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Nearly 33 years later, however, downtown Austin and the buildings along ...

Pelli Clarke Pelli, Gensler projects reshape Austin's skyline

2019-09-29T15:00:00-04:00

We’ve got downtown Austin condos, apartments, offices, and hotels rising all around us in shiny new tower form these days, to the point where it’s kinda hard to keep the projects around the city straight even if you’re paying attention.

Forthcoming projects include a 35-story office building designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli for developers Trammell Crow Company that will serve as a regional headquarters for Google, as well as Gensler's 6 X Guadalupe tower, a 66-story, 848-foot residential and office tower that would become the city's tallest structure when completed.

Before "The Tulip," there was Welton Becket's Reunion Tower

2019-07-17T09:14:00-04:00

With a certain bulb-shaped observation tower in the news again, perhaps now is a good time to revisit another seminal observation tower project: The Welton Becket and Associates-designed Reunion Tower in Dallas, Texas.

Crafted as a three-story, lightbulb-studded geodesic dome hoisted atop a series of monolithic poured-in-place concrete piers, Reunion Tower is among one of the more iconic elements of Dallas’s eclectic and neon-lit skyline. The tower rises to 561-feet in height and is topped in part by a panoramic restaurant designed to revolve around the building’s axis once every 55 minutes, creating one of the more remarkable—and still fully functional—high points of 1970s-era architecture. The restaurant, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck, according to its website, offers diners “floor-to-ceiling windows offering 360-degree views of the city from the dramatic, revolving dining room.”

View of the Reunion Tower. Image courtesy of Wikimedia user texas_mustang.

Like a New Year’s Eve ball th...

Foster + Partners transforms 70's government office tower into luxury hotel in Hong Kong

2018-05-16T15:22:00-04:00

Foster + Partners' new Hong Kong luxury hotel, The Murray, is now fully open to the public. Formerly a 1970's government office building, the firm has transformed these 25 stories into a unique urban experience for visitors.

Reception area of the Murray Building, renovated by Foster + Partners, located in Hong Kong. Image: Michael Weber.

Exterior Details of The Murray. Image: Michael Weber.

The Murray Building was originally constructed when urban planning revolved around cars, leaving the structure inaccessible to pedestrians.

Exterior view of the garden terrace at night. Image: Nigel Young / Foster+Partners.

Hotel lobby area of The Murray. Image: Nigel Young / Foster+Partners.

One of the main goals in the building's transformation was to reconnect the structure at ground level with a new street front, transparent and open ground floor space, and enhanced landscaping of the surrounding grounds.

Exterior Details of The Murray. Image: Michael Weber.

Visitors are now greeted by entering...

A look around the new Tate Modern extension

2016-06-20T09:56:00-04:00

The original Tate Modern redevelopment was started in 1995 and since opening in 2000 has become the most popular gallery in the world. It made sense then for Herzog and De Meuron to return and finish the job. Their architectural evolution and legacy is now embedded in the London skyline, as is their success.

The synergy between the buildings, old and new, is remarkable and assisted satisfyingly by the graphic identity from British designer Peter Saville. The space is incredibly successful as an art gallery but also as an architectural performance; there are continuous structural accents inviting you to explore the sensuality of the space. From the inside the lattice brickwork is a welcome and original delight that insists on further inspection and accordingly reveals disguised benches bracketed into the window, ostensibly waiting for you all along. It is easy to navigate your way through the building but also extremely satisfying to get lost in it.

Offering almost certainly one of t...

"We can't sneer at developers": Herzog & de Meuron examine London's future

2016-06-16T12:35:00-04:00

In London, though the Tate is now finished, there is other work to be done... "We can’t sneer at developers," says Herzog. "They are the ones who will increasingly dominate the shaping of our cities. But we should try to convince them to add accessibility for everyone. To ask, can we do it better?"

Now that they've completed the Tate Modern extension, what's next for Herzog & de Meuron? In this piece, trilingual biking-afocidionado Jacques Herzog speculates on the architectural future of London, and his firm's potential (developer-positive) role in it.

Herzog & de Meuron, in the news:

A tall order? Wooden skyscraper could become Britain's second tallest building

2016-04-12T10:23:00-04:00

Plans for London’s first timber skyscraper were presented to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson this week with researchers saying natural materials were “vastly underused”. The design is for an 80-storey, 300m-high wooden building integrated into the Barbican complex. The tower would create 1,000 new residences. Architects’ Journal described the concept scheme as “toothpick-like”.

Read relating articles on Archinect here:

A guide to London mayoral candidates and their housing policies

Is London experiencing a brick boom?

Design revealed for 1 Undershaft, London's tallest skyscraper by the "thinking developer’s architect"

The Future of New York’s Skyline

2016-01-26T11:44:00-05:00

The biggest names impacting New York’s skyline come together to discuss the projects that now epitomize the city, the ever-evolving real estate market and what’s next for New York’s neighborhoods.

Judging a city's carbon footprint from its skyline

2015-12-15T17:09:00-05:00

How do building shapes vary from one city to the next, in particular with city size? And could this lead to a more general understanding of how energy consumption changes as cities grow or shrink? [...] They conclude that on average, the shapes of buildings in North American cities converge on a cube-like shape as cities get bigger—that’s the most energy efficient shape. That should have important implications for energy use in future megacities.

Scroll through the "new New York Skyline" with this interactive infographic

2015-11-17T19:20:00-05:00

Evidently, the Big Apple is packed with big buildings, and several more are on the way. National Geographic created a spiffy interactive infographic called "The New New York Skyline" that envisions which towers are sprouting up along the Manhattan skyline in the next few years. Scroll sideways and hover your cursor over the color-coded towers to read some factoids about these newcomers. You can also switch from "Skyline View" to 3-D view for spots like the One World Trade Center Complex, Hudson Yards, and "Billionaires' Row" at 57th Street Corridor.

Screenshots via National Geographic.

Check out the graphic here.

More infographics on Archinect:

Infographic: the cheapest and most expensive countries to live in

Budget Busters: ranking the world's most overbudget monuments

Where are the women? Measuring progress on gender in architecture

35 of the world's palaces gathered into one quaint, interactive infographic

How Downtown LA's skyline evolved over the last half century

2015-01-08T14:08:00-05:00

For decades, L.A.'s skyscrapers have had a decidedly boxy style because of requirements that they have emergency helicopter landing pads on top. That code was changed last year, and some architecture buffs hope to see more creative designs in the future. The Times long has taken the measure of the Los Angeles skyline, as seen from the observation deck of City Hall. Here's how it has evolved

Here's What The Manhattan Skyline Will Look Like In 2018

2014-11-10T14:03:00-05:00

City Realty made the rendering above, which they say gives us an idea of what the city will look like in 2018 based on projections for buildings currently being planned or already in construction: "New York City skyline circa 2018 2,500 feet above Central Park. Image features upcoming supertall skyscrapers such as One Vanderbilt, 53W53, 432 Park Avenue, 225 West 57th, and 111 West 57th Street are completed."

Rescuing Washington's Skyline

2014-10-20T17:10:00-04:00

Clinging to antiquated urban notions, the District’s building height regulations imagine a skyline filled with spires, domes and minarets.

The debate over the Capital's skyline should not pit preservationists against contemporary designers. In fact, regulations that take advantage of the rooftop space would contribute to the monumental character of the city.

LA drops helipad requirement for tall buildings; enter LA skyline 2.0

2014-09-29T17:36:00-04:00

In a move that could dramatically change Los Angeles’ skyline, city leaders announced Monday that helicopter landing facilities will no longer be required atop new buildings. The fire code requirement has been criticized for contributing to the “flat-topped” look of Los Angeles’ skyline, particularly in downtown. Los Angeles was the only major U.S. city with such a rule, which has been in place since at least the 1970s.

London skyline campaigners' dismay as Unesco ignores risk to Westminster

2014-08-12T13:40:00-04:00

The march of London's skyscrapers looks set to continue unchecked after the UN watchdog charged with protecting sites of international importance delayed a move to place parliament – which is being obscured by a rash of new towers – on its endangered heritage list. Unesco was due to put Westminster on its List of World Heritage in Danger when it met recently in Doha, Qatar.

A gasp-inducing plan for S.F. skyline, from the ground up

2014-07-25T17:00:00-04:00

A new pair of towers proposed for downtown San Francisco would include the city's second-tallest building - and perhaps its most startling public space, an open-air plaza set beneath the main tower's elevated first floor. The project straddles the northwest corner of First and Mission streets, with a 605-foot tower on Mission and a broad 910-foot high-rise on First. By comparison, the Salesforce Tower under construction on the southeast corner will top off at 1,070 feet.

Illustrator Renders New York Skyline in 2020

2014-07-17T14:55:00-04:00

While YIMBY recently revealed Extell’s Nordstrom Tower, the first glimpse lacked a perspective of the structure’s impact on the broader Midtown skyline. Now, with the help of illustrator Armand Boudreaux, YIMBY has fresh images of the skyscraper’s position on the skyline, including nearby developments like 220 Central Park South, 111 West 57th Street, 432 Park Avenue, and 53 West 53rd Street.

London's glittering spires: Nearly 250 high-rise developments planned

2014-03-13T14:40:00-04:00

Up until recently Canary Wharf was the only place for skyscrapers in London. [...] Now it seems that London is going to receive a more cohesive skyline, with a new study produced by the New London Architecture (NLA) thinktank suggesting that at least 236 tall buildings (those over 20 storeys in height) are currently proposed, approved or under construction in the capital.

Building boom: the London developments revamping the skyline

2013-02-25T14:36:00-05:00

The London skyline has traditionally been a slow-moving beast. While cities in Asia or the United States throw up dozens of new buildings virtually overnight, the capital’s horizon evolves at a more sedate pace. That’s all changing. A clutch of thrilling new buildings is revamping the skyline and helping to fulfil the desperate demand for housing. It’s taking place all over the city, but particularly in a southern stretch between London Bridge and Lambeth.

London future skyline is put on ice

2012-11-19T12:38:00-05:00

At least six landmark projects - worth hundreds of millions of pounds - have been put on ice or cancelled altogether. These include the 172m (564ft) 100 Bishopsgate skyscraper, on hold until developers secure enough advance tenants to make it viable. Also on hold is the so-called Can of Ham, on St Mary's Axe.

Why Does the Manhattan Skyline Look the Way It Does?

2012-01-26T10:44:00-05:00

Having determined what was not the cause of this unique skyline, The Observer thought we had figured out what was, that being the flight of the wealthy north. But it turns out one very influential urban investigator begged to differ: New Yorker architecture critic and Pullitzer Prize winner Paul Goldberger.

Rutgers economics professor Jason Barr did some extensive research to dismiss the idea that bedrock helped shape the Manhattan skyline.

Paul Goldberger takes issues with his explanation, that the rich are to thank for the languid panorama, and instead he points to Grand Central Terminal. Professor Barr disagrees with this. Professor Goldberger agrees to disagree.

Laws That Shaped L.A.: Why is the Los Angeles Skyline So Bland?

2012-01-16T20:50:00-05:00

Why is it that cities from New York to Shanghai, Dubai to London and Kuala Lumpur to Atlanta can throw up iconic skyscrapers like so many murals, while L.A.'s boxy tops look more like the Appalachians after strip-mining? The answer? Blame well-meaning text inserted in 1974 into the Los Angeles Municipal Code.