Austin | 6G | 874 Feet | 65 Floors | Complete

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

The design of the Wilson Tower hasn't changed, only the height, which begs the question is height more important in some cases than the design? I know some people don't like it, but 6G is more interesting than the Wilson Tower. 6G's appearance varies greatly from one side to the other, while the Wilson Tower really only has two different sides. This really is a case of height not being everything. Ironically, though, 6G's design with all the setbacks and corners wouldn't really work as a shorter building. Wilson Tower works at any height, 4 floors, 40 stories or 80.

Height informs design, no?

To expand on some of what you say:

Some designs simply look better at different heights than the height at which they were built in reality. For example: Frost has always looked stubby and squat and needed an extra 200’ when it was built. Even when taken in isolation and not in context of its neighbors the design would have been far superior and more elegant had it been taller. I am sure there are also designs that would have looked better shorter. Why? One reason you allude to is that adjusting height allows refinement in the ratio of whatever various different vertical components exist (in context of the required floorplates of the building). 6xG, to me, is exemplary here as a building whose top component should have been taller.

The Wilson has the benefit of a design that looks good at a variety of heights because it lacks vertical differentiation in elements whereas both Frost and 6xG taper as they get taller.

Interesting≠Beautiful

Wilson was beautiful at the original height, and is still beautiful but will necessarily have less of a visual impact. 6xG is definitely interesting, and adds a lot of dimension and context. Same is likely to be said about Waller when it is done. It would have been nice to equally prioritize both personality and beauty in our skyline in terms of our tallest structures, no? Waller & Wilson would have been a great gay couple on our skyline—one beauty and one brain.