^^^ Maestro Stern probably just forgot to add one to the design, he was too busy studiously perfecting the perfect historicist precast facade!
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Originally Posted by the urban politician
^ Why do New Yorkers always come here thinking Chicago should be "thankful" to get a project, whether crappy or not, from a New York architect?
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Come now, don't you know that Chicago would have no skyscrapers at all if it weren't for NYC. We should be thankful they've allowed us to even have one building.
(This is purely sarcastic and not meant to be city vs city).
Quote:
Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop
Finally, for those (Mr Downtown and all others) who kid themselves into thinking new traditional can be done right today - especially by Robert AM Stern, but by almost anybody, really - I might offer contradicting exhibit A as photos of Sterns very tall downtown building that is now rising (the part that already has its facade!  ) - I think it's 99 Church? maybe - against the backdrop of the Woolworth building. Take a look, and think about it (although if you're thinking hard, you're doing something wrong)...... |
Yeah, his buildings in NYC also suck. How is this even remotely reminiscent of prewar Deco? It's just another 432 Park but decorated in faux deco precast:
Seriously, it's just a stick with some very sickly little setbacks, it's nothing like the prewar deco spires with REAL grace and proportion like Chrysler or 70 Pine Street or the neo-classical towers like 40 Wall and Woolworth. To even suggest that something 99 Church is even REMOTELY close to being in the same league as those classic towers is heresy. It's just pathetically bad when you actually compare it to its "peers" (if you can even call it that) in lower Manhattan. How does Stern have a "mastery" of the classic styles when what he produces is basically a featureless rod adorned with low grade materials that doesn't come within a mile of the true masterpieces.
99 Church is worse than Elysian in my opinion. At least Elysian has some setbacks before the top and attempts a crown (which ended up being corrugated warehouse siding). Look at how finely detailed this bunker is:
Photos from Nyguy
Conclusion: Stern is a total hack.