Twin Towers part II
Out of context: Reply #12
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- mbr0
http://www.lowermanhattan.info/r…
That's the link to the projects. There is a description and imagery for each.
I agree with most that most of the proposals are less than special.
sp - as for contextual designs, architecture should always address the context and surroundings, but this does not mean that it must formally look like the surroundings. The issues of transportation, circulation, and societal relevance were key issues in all of the entries. If we were to just continue to build developer driven, spec office buildings there would not be any great buildings constructed. This is an opportunity to create something better than what is already Lower Manhattan.
None of these schemes present a 'dick waving contest', as suggested above. While I was personally very disappointed with the proposals, I do think that Libeskind's design complemented both the skyline and the street scape the best. THINK's street line was interesting, but the outlines of the large frame work looks too similar to the WTC.
This should be an opportunity for America to participate in great architecture. There are few examples in this country of large scale design that is beyond the spec crap of modern development. If this is a failure, on a design front, and just becomes reproduced rental space for the owners pockets (as the first schemes were), than this will be a great travesty for architecture in America.
I pray it doesn't come to that.