Fordham Spire: new Chicago skyscraper

[Dr Mordrid]

Lots of talk these days about NYC's 1,776 ft. Freedom Tower at the 9/11 site, but Chicago's 2,000 ft Fordham Spire has to be one of the wildest building designs I've seen;

The Fordham Spire is a proposed 124-story skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois, designed by Santiago Calatrava for Chicago developer Christopher T. Carley and scheduled to be completed in 2010. At 2,000 ft (610 m) tall, including a 1,600 ft (488 m) high roof, it would surpass Chicago's Sears Tower and New York's Freedom Tower, which is to be 1,776 ft (541 m) tall, as America's tallest tower. The Fordham Spire would have 200 to 250 condominiums priced from $600,000 to $5,000,000 on top of a 20-story hotel. Although this building will be very tall, it will not surpass Burj Dubai, currently under construction in Dubai, UAE. It will, however, be the tallest free-standing structure in North America surpassing Toronto's CN Tower.

Start: imminent
Finish: ~2010

Dr. Mordrid

[Sasq]

going to be a pain in the *ss for the window cleaners

[Dr Mordrid]

I think they should put rails on each flute and make 'em theme park rides. Drop 1500', decelerate 300' & change your shorts the rest of the way

Dr. Mordrid

[KvHagedorn]

hmm.. symbolic of current American culture.

[KvHagedorn]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Not really my cup of tea as far as design..

[Dr Mordrid]

IMO it would be more 'in tune' located in Las Vegas or San Francisco. It just isn't in character for Chicago. They have other chances though as there is a lot of skyscraper construction going on in Chicago these days.

Trump is putting up a 1,362 ft (95 story) hotel/condo that has a definite art deco look, and there are 40 others of at least 50 stories that have gone up or are under construction as well. The Waterview Tower will be 1,047 feet, which is taller than NYC's Chrysler Building.

Chicago could well be the U.S.'s 21st century equivalent of NYC when it comes to buildings.

Trump International Hotel & Tower


Dr. Mordrid

[Jessterw]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Not really my cup of tea as far as design..

It's garish and the antithesis of good design, that's for sure.

While I'm not opposed to bold, stylistic architecture, there are times when it just feels highly inappropriate and more the work of designers that feel they can only be recognized by "shock and awe". A good architect/designer can be both bold and stylistic while being respectful of the surrounding environment. A good one, incorporates the feel of the surrounding environment.

Sadly, you may be right that this sort of architecture does indeed reflect a part of American culture today. Frank Lloyd Wright is cursing from the afterlife.

[Dr Mordrid]

NOW I know what it looks like!!

It's a countersink drill bit



Guess 'inspiration' really can be found anywhere.

Problem is sometimes you shouldn't listen

Dr. Mordrid

[gt40]

The name sounds too much like 'Ford Aspire'

[Dr Mordrid]

Fordham = "a village by the ford (stream)" + Spire = "a structure or formation, such as a steeple, that tapers to a point at the top."

But I do agree it evokes something unpleasant that breaks a lot

Dr. Mordrid

[cjolley]

Look at the direction it is rotated.
It is a screw extractor*.
You know, for removing broken off studs and screws.

I like Art-Deco building design a lot.
It seems nice to have buildings that are fun to look at.

But I think the twisted design is going to play out as a short lived fad.
Thumbs down for the lot of them.


* [edit] It's called an "easy-out", couldn't remember the name. [/edit]

[ND66]

It just isn't in character for Chicago.

Dr. Mordrid

Totally agreed! Chicago has the elegant, nor modern look!

It going t to look like………may I bring up a quote from my all time favorite “My cousin Vinny” movie:

Mona Lisa Vito: [Vinny looks at her funny] What?
Vinny Gambini: Nothing. You stick out like a sore thumb around here.
Mona Lisa Vito: Me? What about you?
Vinny Gambini: I fit in better than you. At least I'm wearing cowboy boots.
Mona Lisa Vito: Oh yeah, you blend.

[Dr Mordrid]

Well stated

cjolly;

In 'shop talk' Screw Extractor and Easy Out are pretty much interchangable, though "Easy Out" is also a branded extractor line by several companies. Either can be spiral or square ended.

Dr. Mordrid