Daniel Libeskind is at it again with the recent unveiling and groundbreaking of Century Spire, a 60-story tower that will be built in the city of Makati in Manila, Philippines. Showrooms officially opened on May 28, and Libeskind joined Century Properties and Armani/Casa officials at the groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting. The tower is scheduled for completion in 2018.
Daniel Libeskind collaborated with Robbie Antonio of major Philippine real estate firm Century Properties Group and Giorgio Armani's Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio in designing the office and residential tower — which they all believe will reshape Metro Manila's skyline (It sure will...)
So, Archinecters, any thoughts on Libeskind's latest project? (I know you do). Feel free to share them in the comments below.
6 Comments
I was wrong to think that deconstructionism was dead, it's just become another brand. Which in the end is the same thing, I guess.
Oh my goodness. His work just sucks. I can't find anything good to say about it. If I didn't know this was Libeskind I'd say it's some anonymous corporate firm's attempt to be edgy. Knowing it's Libeskind, and knowing he's intelligent enough to hire really truly intelligent people to work with him, it's just embarrassing.
Meaning, so I don't just sound like sour grapes, there is no way to detail this cube-crashed-into-a-faux-twisting-torso form that will be timeless and beautiful and smart.
The Philippines have severe typhoons - large flat surfaces at that height catch way too much air and stress the building - Libeskind should have considered a more aerodynamic form.
looks nasty
I harsh on Libeskind a lot - I dislike almost all of his work, and hate the way he speaks about it - but credit where it's due: Architect Magazine has an article on a new development in Milan. Libeskind's work there is actually quite nice! Quirky and casual, not bombastic as is most of his work.
I think the fact that it's in Milan also means a fairly high level of construction quality, though that's just a guess. Milan seems to do construction well, at least in fashion.
That tower is so....awkward. It lacks any sense of grace. Plain ugly.
When I see buildings like this (and there are a lot of the these days), I have to ask, why should a mixed use tower look like a cube-shaped chunk is toppling off from the top? Why is that image the image they chose to define the building? I could understand a building having an unusual form if there were some good reason for it. Or if the form were unusually beautiful or graceful. But this building does neither. It's merely unsettling. I think that is what Libeskind is going for in all of his work - a sense of unease. He wants to induce vertigo, nausea, revulsion. It's perverse, really.
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