DALLAS | Fountain Place | 720 FT / 219 M | 62 FLOORS | 1986

[plinko]

Arguably one of the most distinctive towers built in the US in the 1980's and a particular favorite on the Dallas skyline, Fountain Place is a pure exercise in the skyscraper as a geometric sculpture. A slick, clean reflective curtain wall wraps a rectangular prism that is sliced and diced into a pointed parallelogram.

Henry Cobb of PeiCobbFreed esstentially took the geometric exploration he undertook in Boston with John Hancock and brought it to an entirely different level. The resultant shape is absolutely unforgettable and the sheer curtain of glass exudes the building's geometrical purity.

The cutting out of the base (following the form above) and sitting the tower on water results in a highly shaded wonderful pedestrian experience (a novelty in downtown Dallas).

The original proposal was for two of these towers (like so many 80's energy belt proposals) set 90 degrees from one another. I'm SO glad the 2nd tower didn't get built. It would have altered the uniqueness of this tower significantly.

image courtesy of Austin55


The building was originally called the Allied Bank Tower (later on First Interstate Bank and now Wells Fargo).

I had a little photographic sex with this building in March, but I know that there are a number of exceptional photographers in Dallas. Please! Share more photos of this building!