I originally thought it was just slightly distorted in the renderings but does anyone else see the top section not getting as narrow as the top of the lower frustums. Makes sense if the goal is to keep the top penthouses footprints as large as the ones below them. Still not sure but looking at the webcam today I think I see it.
The blow through floors are an afterthought of monumental proportions. The architect better not get a free pass on that one when this building is complete. 432 Park Avenue NY is an example of how to elegantly integrate the need to reduce wind loads on a thin, tall tower into the design diagram of the building. Since the blow through floors are not a natural extension of the stacked masses, they will likely end up looking like a 'missing tooth', and ultimately make the building feel unfinished forever. It's unfortunate, as the basic diagram of the building is very handsome, as is the detail of the gradient glass. The missing glass will be most apparent from a distance, like when looking back from the museum campus back to LSE.
The blow through floors are an afterthought of monumental proportions. The architect better not get a free pass on that one when this building is complete. 432 Park Avenue NY is an example of how to elegantly integrate the need to reduce wind loads on a thin, tall tower into the design diagram of the building. Since the blow through floors are not a natural extension of the stacked masses, they will likely end up looking like a 'missing tooth', and ultimately make the building feel unfinished forever. It's unfortunate, as the basic diagram of the building is very handsome, as is the detail of the gradient glass. The missing glass will be most apparent from a distance, like when looking back from the museum campus back to LSE.
I'll say it again: it's like the one floor at Aqua that doesn't have the undulating balcony design. I can't unsee it because it looks like a huge afterthought that mars the building's look from a distance.
The mechanical floor at aqua being a different height is fine (and still a consistent language). An extension (no pun intended) of the basic design concept. It would have gone against the basic rules of modernism to put a 'fake' floor slab half way up the mechanical floor. The rhythm of the slabs is temporarily interrupted, but no foreign composition element is inserted. Vista is all about the stacked blocks and that illusion is destroyed with the blow through floors. I will be happy to eat my words if I am wrong....and frankly hope I am wrong.
The mechanical floor at aqua being a different height is fine (and still a consistent language). An extension (no pun intended) of the basic design concept. It would have gone against the basic rules of modernism to put a 'fake' floor slab half way up the mechanical floor. The rhythm of the slabs is temporarily interrupted, but no foreign composition element is inserted. Vista is all about the stacked blocks and that illusion is destroyed with the blow through floors. I will be happy to eat my words if I am wrong....and frankly hope I am wrong.