Your city's most iconic building

[Cirrus]

Anyway, DC's most iconic building is the Capitol. The White House in second place.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

I'd hazard that outside the niche world of Chicago/International Style skyscraper fans, most people will prefer the new version.

that's simply because most people are idiots.

proof: justin bieber has sold more certified units than pink floyd or led zeppelin.

popularity alone never tells the whole story.

[Centropolis]

two older buildings downtown...

sullivans wainright, the world first proper skyscraper (with an actual steel frame AND a vertical oriented design):


wikipedia.com

then here is the railroad exchange building, which was just an absolute megalith for its time:

builtstlouis.com

[Cirrus]

^
C'mon Saint Louis. Those are nice enough buildings but your "most iconic?" You're not fooling us.

[Centropolis]

about the wainright...wikipedia says it's the "worlds first early skyscraper," whatever the fuck that means, but it's listed after the rand mcnally building which is called "world's first all-steel framed skyscraper."

there's always been a weird thing about this but to the victor goes the spoils via chicago.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

^
C'mon Saint Louis. Those are nice enough buildings but your "most iconic?" You're not fooling us.

eh, DC owns it now...it's a full blown part of the NPS system...now that we spent like 1/3 of a billion dollars of local money spit shining it DC wants it


thegatewayarch.com


thegatewayarch.com

thegatewayarch.com


thegatewayarch.com

[The Chemist]

thetowerinfo.com

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by The Chemist

thetowerinfo.com

shanghai tower was the real star of the show to me when i was there. oriental pearl is certainly iconic and very quickly distinguishes the shanghai (pudong) skyline from so many other new ones of the pacific rim, but it's become semi-eclipsed.

[Boisebro]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

about the wainright...wikipedia says it's the "worlds first early skyscraper," whatever the fuck that means, but it's listed after the rand mcnally building which is called "world's first all-steel framed skyscraper."

there's always been a weird thing about this but to the victor goes the spoils via chicago.

I always thought the Home Insurance building in Chicago was universally considered the world's first skyscraper.

from wiki:

The Home Insurance Building was a skyscraper in Chicago, United States, designed by William Le Baron Jenney in 1884. Completed a year later, the build is generally noted as the first tall building to be supported, both inside and outside, by a fireproof structural steel and metal frame; including reinforced concrete.

[edale]

For my hometown of Cincinnati, I'd probably go with one of these guys:

Union Terminal


Carew Tower


Music Hall

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by Boisebro

I always thought the Home Insurance building in Chicago was universally considered the world's first skyscraper.

from wiki:

it gets really murky but most people interested in the subject likely would agree. the home insurance building had some steel in it, is a fair contender and had some floors added to it later.

pretty sure there's a plaque on the side of the wainright building stating that it's the worlds first skyscraper and FLW called it (to paraphrase) the first expression of a tall building as architecture (even though it's obviously not very tall relatively speaking). wikipedia calls it "the first early skyscraper" which means...

i'm also pretty sure that there are/were other no-name metal framed buildings of approximately the same general size but older than these examples.

as in all of these murky matters of history, the most voices win.

[floor23]

It's a tough decision because Honolulu has a lot of really cool old buildings, but I'd say the most iconic would be Iolani Palace mainly because its the only royal palace in the US and it's a national historic landmark. A funny fact about Iolani palace is it had running water, electricity, and telephones installed several years before the White House.

Picture from Iolani Palace by Dobbs77, on Flickr

Big crowds at Iolani Palace for the rare night tour by Joel, on Flickr

‘Iolani Palace • Honolulu, HI by Dan, on Flickr

Next would be Aloha Tower, though its lost much of significance in the modern era. Honolulu was once considered the ellis island of the pacific and before air travel and high-rises, Aloha Tower was the first building most immigrants, sailors, and visitors would see as they sailed in.

Aloha Tower by Rico Leffanta, on Flickr

Aloha Tower by Nathanael "Sparky" Miller, on Flickr

Aloha Tower by Xavier Davis, on Flickr

Honolulu's Aloha Tower Lighthouse by Larry Syverson, on Flickr

Next would be a tie between the Moana Surfrider and Royal Hawaiian.

Moana Surfrider

Moana Surfrider Resort & Spa by RonPhil, on Flickr

Royal Hawaiian

Royal Hawaiian Hotel by Andy Peyton, on Flickr

[LouisianaRush]

Baton Rouge:
"New" State Captiol

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_State_Capitol]

New Orleans:

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Lo...(New_Orleans)]

[toddguy]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

source: http://themanonfive.com/post/9301539...uilding-c-1969


he'll be celebrating his 50th birthday next year.

My favorite Chicago building.

For Columbus it has to be the Leveque Tower. Fifth tallest in the World when built.

[badrunner]

The most iconic/recognizable buildings in Los Angeles:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffith_Observatory


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_City_Hall



Honorable mentions: LAX theme building, Walt Disney concert hall, Capital records building.

[(four 0 four)]

Edit

[pj3000]

For Pittsburgh, I'd have to go with the icons of industrial might: Steel, Glass, Oil, Aluminum, and Education... all considered to be masterpieces of their style and form.

Steel: US Steel Tower (aka Your Dark Overlord) - 1971


Glass: One PPG Place - 1984


Oil: Gulf Tower - 1932


Aluminum: Alcoa Building - 1953


Education: University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning - 1937

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

it gets really murky but most people interested in the subject likely would agree. the home insurance building had some steel in it, is a fair contender and had some floors added to it later.

pretty sure there's a plaque on the side of the wainright building stating that it's the worlds first skyscraper and FLW called it (to paraphrase) the first expression of a tall building as architecture (even though it's obviously not very tall relatively speaking). wikipedia calls it "the first early skyscraper" which means...

i'm also pretty sure that there are/were other no-name metal framed buildings of approximately the same general size but older than these examples.

as in all of these murky matters of history, the most voices win.

yeah, the skyscraper evolved into existence over the course of several decades, it wasn't invented by some 19th century architect dreaming at his drafting board one afternoon saying "aha! i've got it! here's what we'll do.", so there is absolutely no way to definitively pin down "the world's first skyscraper".

it's similar to the development of the bicycle (one of my other great passions). there was no single point in time where bicycles magically sprung into existence out of a vacuum. in reality, various kinds of two wheeled riding contraptions evolved over the course of the 19th century until they were finally refined into what we would recognize today as a modern diamond-frame, pedal and chain driven bicycle towards the end of the 19th century.

it was a process, not a a single point in space and time.

[LMich]

I'd imagine this would be the case for most capital cities, but here in Lansing, it's definitely the Michigan State Capitol (1878):


Serene Winter Night at the Michigan Capitol by Bryan Newland, on Flickr


Michigan State Capitol by Emanuel Dragoi, on Flickr

I'd say that the Zaha Hadid-designed Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum (2012) in East Lansing as representing new icons in the region.


Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Designed by Zaha Hadid • Photo by Paul Warchol #architecturewatch by sean mcnaughton, on Flickr


Michigan State University Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum by Barton Malow Company, on Flickr

[Makid]

For Salt Lake City there would arguably be 2:

First, the Salt Lake City and County Building completed in 1894:


(image originally provided by SLC)

Second, the LDS Church Salt Lake City Temple completed in 1893:


(Image from LDS Church)