Gaudi bid for Twin Towers memorial (NEW WTC DESIGN)

The Times ^ | January 23, 2003 | Nicholas Wapshott

[UCANSEE2]

That one picture does no justice to Gaudi's work. I don't know how familiar you are with him, but he is (was) amazing.

He not only designed the church, he designed an entire town. When one first sees the houses, schoolbuildings, etc. one thinks they are in a fantasy world, or taking acid.

The church he designed (the one in the picture) he started. After his death, his followers continued the work on the church. From what I remember, after 70 years they were still not done, and expected to continue work on it for maybe another hundred years.

The size of the church is incredible. Much of his work involves blending with the environment. The spires of the church are designed to represent the cluster of mountaintops near Barcelona, which he saw throughout his childhood. Rooflines of schools have lines of turtles on their peaks. A house he built has stained glass circular windows that one must continually get closer, and closer to to see more and more detail. All continuity of straight lines is lost. You would have to see it to believe it.

[Miss Marple]

Remind me tomorrow, and I will do it. I am getting ready to call it a night.

[Revolting cat!]

Produced by Bob Gaudio!

[Think free or die]

Phoenixi is quite stunning, and strikes me as far more American in spirit.

[NJJ]

If I was an architect, I'd stop trying to be so darn creative . . .

The problem is everyone is trying to be aesthetically creative when they should be technically creative. I'm sure, knowing what we now know about the collapse of the towers, that we could rebuild the same twin towers with a high probability of survival in a similar attack and that they could be built faster and cheaper than any of the other concepts.

There would also be no need to explain the message.

[PLOM...NOT!]

That was the 2nd thing that came to mind...the 1st is a cob of corn.

[constitution]

I;ll go with hellinahandcart[sp?]. There is a Twin Tower trade center in New Orleans. Lets do something NYish.
How about something on the style of "The Ark of the Covenate"?

[NovemberCharlie]

Far from the worst design I've seen, but I'd say we can do better. I'm one of the ones that didn't like the twin towers in the first place, and see no reason to put them back when we can do better.

The PHOENIXI complex mentioned above is an interesting idea, different without being horrifyingly ugly. I'm also partial to the Art Deco skyscrapers, and wouldn't mind seeing another one on the skyline.

[nicollo]

I won't say what you're getting at, but it sho' seems to deserve a big fat, GaudI *BUMP*
(or *BUMPS*)

[eno_]

I am not sure I like it, but it seems to be an improvement over the things they showed the last time.

Beats the hell out of the banal. And a giant schlong is certainly a fitting symbol of the New York financial district.

[Orion78]

[KineticKitty]

That building your mentioning is nice in how they incorporated a memorial of the victims into the building, making it a "living memorial". It seems just alittle odd. But I suppose it could have the potential of being a famous landmark because of it's unusual shape like the Eiffel tower or the famous arched opera house in the harbor of Sidney, Australia if it were to be built.

The site you listed had some very very nice pictures of it within the NY skyline with night and day views, even a view from the harbor. I cannot post those interactive pictures, but I can provide the link. The PHEONIXI Building is sure worth a look. Just move your mouse over the small pictures.

[BenLurkin]

Glad you said it.
I wasn't sure how to convey the message.

[lawgirl]

I have never seen a building so phallic. NO thanks.

[weikel]

John Edwards (the psychic)

Miss Cleo seemed much more authentic then he ever did.

[Paulie]

I guess rebuilding an identical building is out of the question, as that's not even being considered. For what it's worth, I actually liked the style (and height)of the Trade Center.

I still think fooling around with these alternative designs will prove disappointing in the long run.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

It looks like the World Viagra Center.

[steve-b]

[hellinahandcart]

Thanks for the link, but a big "no thanks" to the creator of Phoenixi. There's too much MASS and the shape is utterly alien to Manhattan. Particularly Lower Manhattan. Again, there is no regard whatsoever for the surrounding area, or the distinctive 'look' of the city. It does not belong here. It belongs in some growing city whose downtown is in a state of flux and can accomodate something as mock-futuristic as this.

Just another architect's massive ego-trip, dropped like a gigantic anvil on the tip of the island. A blight to the senses.