Comments on: Alternative Design for MoMA Tower at 53 West 53rd by Axis Mundi

By: LBRN

LBRN — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:14:41 +0000

Why does architecture ha always to look like out of a science fiction film. I reckon NYC as a hub for so many different cultures could and should have a building that represents that diversity, not another sterile, shinny, steal rectangle. A lot of people here criticising the project and calling it a vertical shanty town are probably just an updated version of the same type of critics who once had a go at people in the likes of Gaudy and other modern architects. This isn't an everyone's taste design, but it has far more personality than most of the stuff being projected right now. It feels way more organic and homely that loads of Bauhaus-inspired blocks.

By: Luigi

Luigi — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:49:07 +0000

Disgasting ! they copy and paste the worst architecture nightmare a human could have. Realy a nice idea, they hade, something like: you take some slams from Rio, some orrible suburbs from Rome, a beat of 70 's soviet, and container and of course green, a lot of green cause have to be eco, isn't it !

By: FrankLo

FrankLo — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:45:23 +0000

I think the only way to make such a tower interesing is in investigating its potential as a vertical extension of the city fabric (transportation, public space, mixed use), instead of simply a single, monolithic, object-like tower in a flashy disguise (a vertical dead-end).
And all these ideas of diversity crammed into a superstructure have been explored long ago by the ''open-building'' theories of Habraken. But saying that this tower would become an ''intentional'' favella seems a bit absurd to me; visual chaos doesnt necesseraly equate to poor social conditions, and areas for rich people to live in dont necesseraly equate to visual congruity…
JN's tower is elegant, if not much else.

By: flipmode1017

flipmode1017 — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 02:28:31 +0000

sure the artist rendering looks nice… but can you imagine how ugly it's going to look in real life???? new york buildings get dirty/dusty so quick… i feel like this will like a vertical shanty town after 5 years…

By: Juampi Z

Juampi Z — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:01:02 +0000

The ground floor is much more friendly that in JN tower. It’s integrated with the street