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What's your favorite skyscraper?

My two favorites are:

1.Buffalo City Hall


2.One Bennett Park

Wow, that new building in Chicago is awesome. I didn't realize they were building that, and I was just there last summer. That is going to look so neat when finished... That massive & grand Buffalo City Hall is something, isn't it?!

It is too difficult for me to personally pick my absolute "favorite", as there are too many different types of architectural styles, and I love both old & new buildings. All major US & Canada cities have many buildings I really love & like. NYC & Chicago alone have so many beautiful buildings, young & old. Asia & the middle East have so many jaw-dropping skyscrapers now.

So, I'll list my absolute favorites in the USA first.

Empire State Building, NYC (Timeless. It still "wows" people after all these years -- including me. Symbol of America and NYC.)

Key Tower, Cleveland (Favorite handsome tower of the Cesar Pelli line of USA skyscrapers of the 80's/90's. Minneapolis & Charlotte are also great.)

Fountain Place, Dallas (Striking & bold geometry on the dazzling Dallas skyline. Only Dallas could pull that off just right, imo.)

John Hancock Center, Chicago (Who doesn't love Big John? Love the X-bracing, and tapering form. Symbol of Chicago.)

Aon Center, Chicago (Fan of minimal, basic geometry. Favorite "striped box" skyscraper of them all...)

Willis Tower, Chicago (It's a battle between the John Hancock and the Willis Tower which one is my favorite black Chicago skyscraper.)

Trump Tower, Chicago (Just marvelous & impressive in every way, in materials & shape & form. Love that silver shimmer...)

Washington Mutual Tower, Seattle (Award-winning. Almost like a serene lighthouse standing next to the ocean... Perfect addition to Seattle.)

Republic Plaza, Denver (Favorite out of the S.O.M.'s line of white office blocks of the 70's/80's. Chicago's Water Tower Place is second.)

Capella Tower, Minneapolis (Love the IDS & Wells Fargo as well, but this cylindrical, lit-crowned skyscraper really captures the snappy, innovative spirit of that city to me, while being a handsome & serious tower, too. Just delights me when I'm there.)

Figueroa & Wilshire, Los Angeles (The same geometry working on all corners, the tapering up to the green octagonal crown, surrounded by palms...so perfectly "Los Angeles" to me.)

TransAmerica Pyramid, San Francisco (I understand the outrage is caused, but what a landmark, signature skyscraper for a quirky, eccentric city. It could only work in SF, imo.)

Southeast Financial Center, Miami (Nothing that special now, but I have always loved this building, with similar, yet different, stair-stepping geometry playing on each side of a center line down the front. The big windows, the seashell grey color... Perfect for contemporary & tropical Miami. Also, love the Miami Tower.)

REST OF WORLD: Absolute Favorites

China alone has so many amazing new skyscrapers between Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen. Seoul, Korea, too. The desert Arab countries, too. It's hard to keep up with them all...

Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Just jaw-dropping in height and form. There's a new skyscraper going up that will surpass this one)
Guangzhou International Finance Center, Guangzhou (There are no words... That oddish-yet-beautiful form, the X-patterns... The lighting at night.)
Shanghai Tower, Shanghai (Who couldn't be amazed by this type of latest, cutting-edge design?)
Shanghai IFC, Shanghai (Love Pelli's pair of towers, that play off each other, with unique lines & unconventional geometry)
International Commerce Center, Hong Kong (Love most of Hong Kong's giants, but this is my favorite.)
Gran Torre, Santiago (Just a beautiful glossy & glassy magnificent tower. Reminds me a bit of Okla City's new tallest.)
Messe Turm, Frankfurt (Couldn't be more ultra-sharp & striking)

JAPAN, CANADA, MEXICO, AFRICA, RUSSIA, and AUSTRALIA/PACIFIC all have many buildings I love, but I wouldn't quite land them on my "absolute favorite" list. There's so many more skyscrapers worldwide now. It is mind-boggling to me.

My fave is prolly Chrysler just because. I like the style.

Least fave would be anything with the name Trump in it!

Favorite in the United States: Hearst Tower - NYC
Favorite outside the United States: Taipei 101 - Taipei City, Taiwan
Honorable Mention: Duke Energy Tower - Charlotte; One Detroit Center - Detroit; 432 Park Ave - NYC; 20 Fenchurch Street - London, England; MahaNakhon - Bangkok, Thailand

Oh, yes...the Chrysler Building of NYC. How could I blank that out? I HAVE to add that. I was even combing NYC for another "absolute favorite" since I figured there had to be another. But, I completely blanked-out the Chrysler. (I did that entry around 2-3am...I was tired).

CHRYSLER BUILDING, NYC (Who doesn't love that silver-dipped, striking-topped classic?)

With the mention of the 20 Fenchurch skyscraper in London (Awesome building, btw! I didn't know about that one), I was reminded I meant to put the "Shard" in London on my list. It came to mind during my first entry, I totally forgot to type it, though. So, I HAVE to include it:

THE SHARD, London (Silvery glass, extreme, sharp & jagged form, nice lines present on facade, great new skyscraper symbol for London rising above the historic city and water)

Also, although I was first thinking Canada didn't have a building that quite landed on my list, I just remembered Toronto does have one pair of AMAZING twin residential towers that I should have included:

ABSOLUTE WORLD, Toronto (Very unconventional, bulbous & curling, ultra-exciting pair of forms playing off each other. Amazing.)

I never knew about that MahaNakhon in Thialand. Wow, very unique, striking, different skyscraper (almost like a brick wall that is has had sections of brick knocked away). I do like that. I just don't (& almost can't) keep up on all the new skyscrapers. It will be great to learn of ones watching this list!

Omababe wrote:My fave is prolly Chrysler just because. I like the style.

Least fave would be anything with the name Trump in it!

I heard people in Chicago were aghast by its appearance after the Trump tower was built there.

daveoma wrote: I heard people in Chicago were aghast by its appearance after the Trump tower was built there.

Don't you feel that snubbing in Chicago would have to do more with people's dislike of Trump, rather than the quality of the building itself? I think Omababe's remark reveals a hint of that. It's a stunning, slick skyscraper on all accounts, has no real professional architectural criticism that I've seen or heard, and is actually a building designed by Chicago's top, renowned architect (I read).

I notice human beings can go into denial that something is beautiful, even if it undeniably is, if they simply don't like the person attached to it (or their attitude). Between his boldness & his billions, Trump just gets "under people's skin", I noticed.

I personally don't care who does or who doesn't like the Trump Tower. And, I know there isn't one skyscraper on this earth everybody is going to like, or agree upon. But, I do feel there is such thing as a genuine dislike vs. an artificial dislike over something. This article shows the name "TRUMP" on the building was driving Chicagoans bonkers: http://www.citylab.com/design/2014/06/f ... nd/372791/ Again, this indicates it is really about him, not the building's design, imo.

If anything, I feel sorry for the architect. He designed quite a building, imo, and probably would normally be getting awards, and hearing praises sung his way. But, a lot of that is snuffed-out w/ the stigma attached to the man who's name is displayed on the building -- TRUMP.

By the way, I always felt the Trump Tower was bringing a touch of "Dubai Design" to Chicago, and I just learned that the architect who designed the Trump Tower, did also design that mighty "Burj Khalifa" skyscraper in Dubai! I didn't "connect those dots" before. Interesting! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Smith_(architect)

Most Chicagoans like, or at least have indifference towards the Trump Tower. It franks the river very nicely. But, almost everyone was upset when he decided to put his name on it a few years ago.

Now then, as I've said before, I'm not a huge fan of the skyscraper for the urban fabric of a city. They're pretty, but they typically aren't much more than that. But I do have my favorites though...

Seagram Building, NYC

The plaza is simply iconic as far as urban planning goes.



Marina City, Chicago



1000 de la Gauchetière, Montreal



Columbia Tower, Seattle



Woolworth Building, NYC



And of course, One First National Center here in Omaha.

^ That Woolworth Building is gorgeous, isn't it?! The ESB and Chrysler are a step ahead of it in terms of my favorite buildings, but I still love it. I attached a few pics I took of it while in NYC last summer/fall. Enjoy...

In NYC, the 40 Wall Street Tower and less-known 70 Pine Street are also historic, slender "beauties" of the southern tip of Manhattan -- as I'm sure you know. And, although I love the historic Wrigley Building & Tribune Tower in Chicago, I find my tendency is to like NYC's historic skyscrapers better than Chicago's, but I tend to like Chicago's modern architecture better than NYC's -- overall.

That Seagram Building has such wonderful lines, I agree. Being a fan of simple, basic geometry, I like all the "black boxes" out there, too. In fact, I adore Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's black/gray boxy buildings in Chicago. I like the twin complex in L.A. I I just happen to like the white ones a little better.

Yes, the Tower at FNC in Omaha deserves to be mentioned by myself, too. I love it, too, although not on my "absolute favorites" list. When I stand the building next to, let's say, the Key Tower in Cleveland, or the Wells Fargo Tower in Minneapolis, and compare the two, I feel those skyscrapers are a notch-up in beauty & design. However, I feel Daly likely brought the Omaha skyscraper down a notch purposefully, and designed what was 100% perfect & excellent & appropriate for this city -- and for that, I am thankful. Similar feelings for Des Moines' tallest.

I don't need to comment all the time. I'm just excited talking "skyscrapers & architecture" with people. I could do it all day...I think.

Omababe wrote:My fave is prolly Chrysler just because. I like the style.

Least fave would be anything with the name Trump in it!

Unnecessary political jab aside, I totally agree.

S33 wrote:Unnecessary political jab aside

I don't think the issue of Trump's name on buildings is necessarily political. People have despised it for years mainly for his character.

HR Paperstacks wrote:

S33 wrote:Unnecessary political jab aside

I don't think the issue of Trump's name on buildings is necessarily political. People have despised it for years mainly for his character.

...and the arrogant gaudiness of his buildings. The new tower in Chicago being an exception. I have'nt seen it with his name on it though...that would detract greatly from the design.

GetUrban wrote:

HR Paperstacks wrote:

S33 wrote:Unnecessary political jab aside

I don't think the issue of Trump's name on buildings is necessarily political. People have despised it for years mainly for his character.

...and the arrogant gaudiness of his buildings. The new tower in Chicago being an exception. I have'nt seen it with his name on it though...that would detract greatly from the design.

It actually isn't that big of a sign and it's not that bad. I depise Trump as much as the next guy but sign isn't that bad at all.

PotatoeEatsFish wrote:

GetUrban wrote:

HR Paperstacks wrote:

S33 wrote:Unnecessary political jab aside

I don't think the issue of Trump's name on buildings is necessarily political. People have despised it for years mainly for his character.

...and the arrogant gaudiness of his buildings. The new tower in Chicago being an exception. I have'nt seen it with his name on it though...that would detract greatly from the design.

It actually isn't that big of a sign and it's not that bad. I depise Trump as much as the next guy but sign isn't that bad at all.

Yeah, what.... the letters are only about 15-20 feet tall! At least they're not glossy brass or gold-colored.

There must be some kind of regulation preventing signage on the Chicago River side. Seems he would have taken advantage of that opportunity too. None of the other buildings seem to have any large lettering on them for the most part.

Per GetUrban: "There must be some kind of regulation preventing signage on the Chicago River side."

The Trump logo is on the Chicago River/Wacker Drive side of the building. While large, it is still fairly tasteful to me.

I didn't look at all of the photos long enough to know exactly which sides have the Trump signage. There are many photos out there taken before the signage was installed. It looks like there is Trump signage on at least two sides from what I can tell without going to Chicago to see for myself. Anyway, I like the building better without Trump on it. The building is a strong enough statement on its own without Trump's name on it. I admit, I can't stand Trump, but I'd feel the same way about putting anybody's name on it. The building wil have a name and be wellknown, even without 20' tall letters on it. People aren't so stupid that they need to constantly be reminded who owns the building.

Per GetUrban: "It looks like there is Trump signage on at least two sides from what I can tell"

Actually, the logo is just on one side - the river side. While there was certainly controversy over a large logo on a very visible building, there was no ordinance to prohibit it, so Trump took advantage of that. Also, I wouldn't fight a man too much, if he was willing to place a 90+ story building in the city. One thing that Chicagoans keep in mind is the fact that the Trump building replaced a very, VERY unattractive, squat building owned by the Chicago Sun Times. NO ONE regrets seeing that building disappear.

I was just going off of these two images which look like they are on different sides of the building...





But it must be the same side from different angles. In the first one, it didn't look like the river was between the camera and building before the bend to the right. I need to look at it in Google earth.

Ah, yes. That first photo is very deceiving due to the perspective. It is taken from the middle of Wacker Driver at Wabash and therefore, the river (far below the level of Wacker Drive) disappears. Both pics are of the south face of the Trump building, but from different directions.

To clarify my earlier comment: While the large TRUMP logo is only on the south face of the building, on the Wabash side there is fairly discreet (small in scale) signage for the building itself: Trump International Hotel and Tower

Welcome to eOmahaForums Wrightfan!

RockHarbor wrote:

daveoma wrote: I heard people in Chicago were aghast by its appearance after the Trump tower was built there.

Don't you feel that snubbing in Chicago would have to do more with people's dislike of Trump, rather than the quality of the building itself? I think Omababe's remark reveals a hint of that. It's a stunning, slick skyscraper on all accounts, has no real professional architectural criticism that I've seen or heard, and is actually a building designed by Chicago's top, renowned architect (I read).

I notice human beings can go into denial that something is beautiful, even if it undeniably is, if they simply don't like the person attached to it (or their attitude). Between his boldness & his billions, Trump just gets "under people's skin", I noticed.

I personally don't care who does or who doesn't like the Trump Tower. And, I know there isn't one skyscraper on this earth everybody is going to like, or agree upon. But, I do feel there is such thing as a genuine dislike vs. an artificial dislike over something. This article shows the name "TRUMP" on the building was driving Chicagoans bonkers: http://www.citylab.com/design/2014/06/f ... nd/372791/ Again, this indicates it is really about him, not the building's design, imo.

If anything, I feel sorry for the architect. He designed quite a building, imo, and probably would normally be getting awards, and hearing praises sung his way. But, a lot of that is snuffed-out w/ the stigma attached to the man who's name is displayed on the building -- TRUMP.

Many of these people in this forum are nice enough but they are...er uh well lets just say they view much of life through tinted glasses and are a little out of touch. Donald Trump is going to be the next president of the United States. He is going to smoke Crooked Hillary good. So then this building will be named after the sitting president and thats going to suck how?

It'll suck 'cuz the White House will have a bigass gold TRUMP sign with marquee laser lights and a multicolored fountain that shoots champagne 500 feet into the air and 100 beautiful babes bleeding from their "whatever" surrounded by blinging slot machines 'cuz we need more classy stuff in D.C..

Oh, by the way, my favorite huuuuge building is the Tribune Tower in Chicago!

GRANDPASMUCKER wrote:

RockHarbor wrote:

daveoma wrote: I heard people in Chicago were aghast by its appearance after the Trump tower was built there.

Don't you feel that snubbing in Chicago would have to do more with people's dislike of Trump, rather than the quality of the building itself? I think Omababe's remark reveals a hint of that. It's a stunning, slick skyscraper on all accounts, has no real professional architectural criticism that I've seen or heard, and is actually a building designed by Chicago's top, renowned architect (I read).

I notice human beings can go into denial that something is beautiful, even if it undeniably is, if they simply don't like the person attached to it (or their attitude). Between his boldness & his billions, Trump just gets "under people's skin", I noticed.

I personally don't care who does or who doesn't like the Trump Tower. And, I know there isn't one skyscraper on this earth everybody is going to like, or agree upon. But, I do feel there is such thing as a genuine dislike vs. an artificial dislike over something. This article shows the name "TRUMP" on the building was driving Chicagoans bonkers: http://www.citylab.com/design/2014/06/f ... nd/372791/ Again, this indicates it is really about him, not the building's design, imo.

If anything, I feel sorry for the architect. He designed quite a building, imo, and probably would normally be getting awards, and hearing praises sung his way. But, a lot of that is snuffed-out w/ the stigma attached to the man who's name is displayed on the building -- TRUMP.

Many of these people in this forum are nice enough but they are...er uh well lets just say they view much of life through tinted glasses and are a little out of touch. Donald Trump is going to be the next president of the United States. He is going to smoke Crooked Hillary good. So then this building will be named after the sitting president and thats going to suck how?

Beating Hilary in an election shouldn't be an accomplishment of the ages for Trump, in the same way her beating Trump wouldn't be all that impressive.

They're both garbage, neither deserving of the presidency, and nether more so over the other.

Trump is a bag of dicks more overtly with his persona and ego, whereas Hilary is a worthless pile of garbage when you consider all her dirty political and business dealings.

A lot of people surrounding the Clinton's have seen jail time or been indicted on various federal charges, so it's no surprise that she is finally being held accountable for something illegal she's done.

Overall, I'd have to say, at least Trump has created economic activity aside from creating a non-transparent non-profit organization that gets contributions from other foreign governments. There's a quid pro quo of sorts in these things, and now that Clinton is likely the presumptive presidential nominee, she can finally start paying her donors off from the Oval Office.

The only saving grace of a Trump presidency is that he is so hated by both parties that unless his running mate is pure impeachment insurance, his administration won't last a year before he is convicted in an impeachment.

As to the question of my favorite skyscraper, I like the TransAmerica pyramid in San Francisco.

Oh god, this has become the Trump thread...

PotatoeEatsFish wrote:Oh god, this has become the Trump thread...

I tried to steer it back with my reference to the pyramid.