As American's weath flows to China, India and the Middle East via enormous trade deficits that leave ever increasing amounts of U.S. investment and debt in foreign hands, can the ebbing of American power and prestige be far behind? For better or worse, in this monetarized, post industrial age, the skyscraper has replaced the factory as the more potent symbol of national clout, and in the race to top, the United States is finding it harder to get it up. Read all about it - including which new landmark is Hollywood's latest phallic best supporting player - and see the pictures (no, not those kind of pictures) here.
Monday, March 20, 2006
America doesn't mount the world's tallest buildings much anymore - is it a sign of the sapping of our precious bodily fluids?
As American's weath flows to China, India and the Middle East via enormous trade deficits that leave ever increasing amounts of U.S. investment and debt in foreign hands, can the ebbing of American power and prestige be far behind? For better or worse, in this monetarized, post industrial age, the skyscraper has replaced the factory as the more potent symbol of national clout, and in the race to top, the United States is finding it harder to get it up. Read all about it - including which new landmark is Hollywood's latest phallic best supporting player - and see the pictures (no, not those kind of pictures) here.
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6 comments:
The Gherkin is also in Woody Allen's sexy "Matchpoint."
It doesn't really matter if America doesn't have all the tallest towers..or that she has lost the penchant for them. America is a mature country with a mature society and has no real need for tall buildings.The direction of tower design and debate can be seen in the World Trade Tower designs...confusion..is what observers like us see.
Why bother? Most who actually know the figures agree that buildings over 70-stories just don't justify themselves financially or functionally. And if the "competition" designs to replace WTC is any indication, you can't "design by committee" projects that large and iconic any way. Daniel Hudson Burnham would be embarressed....
What is a city?
What really amazes me is the makeup of American cities (china is looking a lot like it). Its like an ankor wat model, a few tall important buildings stacked up in the middle surrounded by a sea of small homes. This centralizes everything making it out of the way of everything else. Look at Japan, cities are real urban metropolis, trains everywhere, not one hub and all spokes. Mid size apartments can be found everywhere. Shops are on every street. You dont have to live in a gentrified neighborhood to find shops and thriving business. In comparison, areas that we consider city are really quite suburban. Its spread out. I think we got the whole city thing wrong.
Well done!
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