Freeport-McMoRan Center (One Central Park East) - Phoenix, AZ - Page 31

Jsmscaleros · #**601** Posted **Jan 9, 2009, 3:29 AM**

Why is it that just because Phoenix is a large city we must have tall buildings like NYC and Chicago? Sounds like a pissing contest to me and not real architecture. Take a great number of European cities, for example. You generally will not find too many supertalls and yet we still flock to their cities on vacation to absorb their beauty and culture.

I, for one, would much prefer to see a unique architectural statement made here in Phoenix that embraces the desert landscape instead of this need to keep up with other cities that do not share our climate.

NorthScottsdale · #**602** Posted **Jan 9, 2009, 12:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jsmscaleros

Why is it that just because Phoenix is a large city we must have tall buildings like NYC and Chicago? Sounds like a pissing contest to me and not real architecture. Take a great number of European cities, for example. You generally will not find too many supertalls and yet we still flock to their cities on vacation to absorb their beauty and culture.

I, for one, would much prefer to see a unique architectural statement made here in Phoenix that embraces the desert landscape instead of this need to keep up with other cities that do not share our climate.

ummm.. maybe because we are the 5th largest city in the country... and so far the buildings in phoenix dont show too much distinctive architecture... and people flock to european cities because they have a lot of culture and beauty, which phoenix doesnt have.. or is in the process of trying to figure out what it's image is... or maybe we have an image, but the transplants from chicago and out east dont want to embrace the southwest.. so it doesnt show through in what does get built.. maybe if we had one or two supertall buildings it would make it at least look like we are a major city instead of a boring sprawling city..
sorry i am drunk.. end of rant

LAFINDOG · #**603** Posted **Jan 9, 2009, 2:50 PM**

At the rate they are skinning the building (OCPE), they should be completly enclosed by the end of march....the south elevation will have horizontal sunshades which mimic the design of the east/west elevations but be smaller in size. As I have stated before, this might be the best looking "high-rise" in the valley.

gymratmanaz · #**604** Posted **Jan 9, 2009, 6:55 PM**

I agree!

Vicelord John · #**605** Posted **Jan 9, 2009, 7:05 PM**

I disagree

neworleans · #**606** Posted **Jan 9, 2009, 7:44 PM**

no, the xerox building is the best... my opinion of course.

Vicelord John · #**607** Posted **Jan 9, 2009, 8:12 PM**

I think the buildings in Tempe on the water are the best

CANUC · #**608** Posted **Jan 9, 2009, 11:35 PM**

I think the Summit is the most striking building added to downtown followed by 44 Monroe. Even with its reduced tiara, 44 Monroe with its balconies and painted trim stands out far more than any of its immediate neighbors. My top five:

1. Summit at Copper Square
2. Phoenix city Hall
3. 44 Monroe
4. Chase
5. Renaissance

Jsmscaleros · #**609** Posted **Jan 10, 2009, 12:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorthScottsdale

ummm.. maybe because we are the 5th largest city in the country... and so far the buildings in phoenix dont show too much distinctive architecture... and people flock to european cities because they have a lot of culture and beauty, which phoenix doesnt have.. or is in the process of trying to figure out what it's image is... or maybe we have an image, but the transplants from chicago and out east dont want to embrace the southwest.. so it doesnt show through in what does get built.. maybe if we had one or two supertall buildings it would make it at least look like we are a major city instead of a boring sprawling city..
sorry i am drunk.. end of rant

I don't see how one or two supertall buildings does anything in the grand scheme of things. I wouldn't be opposed if someone wanted to build one, but I don't think that's the answer to making Phoenix a national destination. I would much rather work toward developing something unique then throwing up a glass and steel box that should be in Manhattan just for the sake of having a tall building. One or two tall buildings does not make a great city.

Buildings like the new First Solar Headquarters in Tempe and the Burton Barr Library in midtown Phoenix took a more site-specific approach to building in the desert. Working toward becoming the nation's leader in eco-design and solar energy production is something well within our achievable means and would be distinctly Arizonan given our amount of sunshine.

Vicelord John · #**610** Posted **Jan 10, 2009, 12:50 AM**

I would rather have 5 10 story buildings than one 50 story building... thats just me though.

neworleans · #**611** Posted **Jan 10, 2009, 1:58 AM**

...a city is defined by its skyline

HooverDam · #**612** Posted **Jan 10, 2009, 2:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by neworleans

...a city is defined by its skyline

Really? Somehow when I think of Washington DC or Paris its not of skyscrapers.

PhxPavilion · #**613** Posted **Jan 10, 2009, 10:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jsmscaleros

I don't see how one or two supertall buildings does anything in the grand scheme of things. I wouldn't be opposed if someone wanted to build one, but I don't think that's the answer to making Phoenix a national destination. I would much rather work toward developing something unique then throwing up a glass and steel box that should be in Manhattan just for the sake of having a tall building. One or two tall buildings does not make a great city.

Buildings like the new First Solar Headquarters in Tempe and the Burton Barr Library in midtown Phoenix took a more site-specific approach to building in the desert. Working toward becoming the nation's leader in eco-design and solar energy production is something well within our achievable means and would be distinctly Arizonan given our amount of sunshine.

I agree, towers do not make a city. Having said that though, this is a skyscraper fansite, not some urban planning forum and Phoenix is the largest city in the country with the smallest skyline. Phoenix was featured in the new Monopoly board game and while every other city had a picture of their skyline Phoenix's picture was of Camelback mountain.

HooverDam · #**614** Posted **Jan 10, 2009, 11:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhxPavilion

Phoenix was featured in the new Monopoly board game and while every other city had a picture of their skyline Phoenix's picture was of Camelback mountain.

To quote an Arizona Republic feature on hiking, "New York has the statue of liberty, Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Phoenix has Camelback Mountain. We win." Give me a beautiful landscape thats a huge urban park in the center of the city over some man made feature any day.

Vicelord John · #**615** Posted **Jan 10, 2009, 7:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhxPavilion

I agree, towers do not make a city. Having said that though, this is a skyscraper fansite, not some urban planning forum and Phoenix is the largest city in the country with the smallest skyline. Phoenix was featured in the new Monopoly board game and while every other city had a picture of their skyline Phoenix's picture was of Camelback mountain.

I think the Phoenix group, at least, has turned more into an urban planning forum. It's pretty rare anyone of us are actually talking about a skyscraper. We seem to be more interested in anything that makes our city better, not just tall buildings.

BANANA DANCE!

Sonoran_Dweller · #**616** Posted **Jan 10, 2009, 7:33 PM**

John, I have to agree with you (a rare oddity). I am very happy with how we all appreciate the urban value of our city more than just the height value. It shows that we all care for our city and that we identify our city with a sense of place.

PhxPavilion · #**617** Posted **Jan 11, 2009, 8:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicelord John

It's pretty rare anyone of us are actually talking about a skyscraper. We seem to be more interested in anything that makes our city better, not just tall buildings.

I haven't seen this much denial since the Iraqi information minister. The only tower projects happening are cityscape and cpe so it's no wonder there isn't much talk regarding tall towers, such wasn't the case a year ago when we had a new tower proposal coming out every other week. That's not to say that talking about anything that makes our city better is bad.

glynnjamin · #**618** Posted **Jan 11, 2009, 3:59 PM**

Couldnt agree with John more. The Phx group is way more about urban planning (look at how much we are fixated on the Civic Space Park project and the LRT) than it is about skyscrapers. We fight tooth and nail over little three story redevelopment projects and argue about suicide lanes. We are a bunch of SimCity players wishing we had more say in the AZ government.

On top of that, I too would rather see greater density at the expense of greater height. I would rather our skyline be defined by a large block of buildings instead of making it look like a bar graph of gains and losses. The biggest problem our downtown faces is that we are the largest city with giant empty parcels in the heart of downtown. Try finding a vacant lot in Seattle, SF, LA, NY, or Chicago.

Vicelord John · #**619** Posted **Jan 11, 2009, 4:06 PM**

Thats funny, I really am a Sim City addict.

I recently downloaded a patch where you can bulid at-grade trains in the streets just like crappy Phoenix/San Diego/Salt Lake/Minneapolis/etc.

glynnjamin · #**620** Posted **Jan 11, 2009, 11:02 PM**

^ Is that SimCity 4? I've got the transportation add-on with the monorail and elevated trains but the only surface trains I can do are more commuter like.