NASHVILLE | The Pinnacle | 435 FT / 133 M | 29 FLOORS | T/O

[futuresooner]

Sadly, the north tower crane is coming down today.

Can a mod update this to T/O?

[freemanphotography]

I am very excited to find this site and sad that I have to find you all at this moment...

I am a resident of Nashville and a lover of bold, defiantly original architecture. I love much of the architecture of Nashville—including many of the new overly saturated condos—but I am in mourning tonight.

I hadn't seen the full design of the pinnacle building—I was excited to watch it rise high above, with great anticipation. Well, I finally drove down to the site today to see it up-close...and it looks hideous folks. My heart half broke...

Then I went online searching for the design specs—hoping to get re-inspired—only to discover that the facade is practically done, which broke the other half of my heart. This building is utterly unacceptable on so many levels.

It looks like a bad mini-me knock off of the Empire State building—but with its' head lopped off. There is nothing original, nothing daring, nothing bold, nothing inspiring—nothing about this building that deserves to stand next to the remarkable structures of (IMO) one of the most progressive and fun melting-pot cities in America.

I apologize for being so negative. I just need to vent; and to do so with others who love architecture. On a positive note, I LOVE the design of the Signature Tower. The entrance reminds me of the stylization of the artwork used for Ayn Rand's novels.

<end ramble>

-Freeman

[futuresooner]

I don't know what crack pipe you've smoked, but it hardly looks anything like the ESB.

Also, not the best way to sound off as your first comment. You might as well hang it up on Siggy, that baby won't be around for a while.

[BnaBreaker]

The Pinnacle is obviously not going to be gracing the cover of any elegant architecture coffee table book. It's not a masterpiece. But why does it need to be? What the hell is wrong with just being adequate? The designer never promised anyone that it was going to be a monument to the concept of beauty.

I get so sick of people holding perfection as their standard and 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 🞵 🞵🞵🞵🞵 all over anything that isn't ground-breaking. It IS okay if a building is just a building.

[vandelay]

The setbacks on the crown are reminiscent of, and are probably inspired by, Art Deco buildings. They're pleasing to my eye--much better than a flat-top office building.

To me this looks more like Pelli's Goldman Sachs tower in Jersey City:



Regardless, it's got a pleasing shape and a nice crown. It could be A LOT worse.

[Matthew]

I love this building and think it is a great design. As I've said before, I would love to have this in my city! Look closely at the details in the building. It's not always easy to see everything in the design in photos. Please share more update photos!

[freemanphotography]

Originally Posted by BnaBreaker

What the hell is wrong with just being adequate?

A monument to adequacy...

FutureSooner: Yes, I know, not the most positive intro—but the skyline of Nashville is gorgeous and if you walk up to the building...well, tearing of robes and gnashing of teeth.

Vandelay: See now, I LIKE that building. The top doesn't have a spire; but it doesn't need to have one. It makes a clear statement. Buildings are like a story, told from the ground up. When I drive into the city and look at it, it appears to be missing the final chapters.

Matthew: Good idea! I may try to capture some shots to share. The design pictures online are flattering. Up close, it looks like a building erected in the 70s. Hard to explain without photos.

And yeah, I love the Nashville architecture. I am very excited about the Signature Tower. I wish it could have been built with the original 70+ story design.

Thanks for the responses everyone!

[futuresooner]

Wth are you talking about? There's no another building like it in the city and love how it reflects the sky and other skyscrapers. While the base may be a little bland, remember, it is no where near completed, hell, they haven't got all the windows in yet, and the crown wa only lit for a few days to see if any defects were there.

[BnaBreaker]

Originally Posted by freemanphotography

A monument to adequacy...

Well that's just it, isn't it? It's not supposed to be a "monument" to anything. It's just a building. I don't know what it is about some people from cities that don't see many highrise projects, but they always expect every new structure to be mind-blowingly incredible. I don't get that mentality at all. It's as if the only function of a building to them is to look pretty for postcards, and if it isn't beautiful enough to make it onto any meaningless and arbitrary 'top 100' lists, then it is useless in their eyes. A building is just one tiny part of the entirity of a city's urban fabric. To me, any true lover of vibrant urban spaces should be far more concerned with the way the building addresses the street than the way it looks in a photograph.

[KevinFromTexas]

Looks nice. It really reminds me a lot of the Frost Bank Tower. Some of those construction shots of it from down the street that didn't show all of it, really reminded me of Frost when it was going up. The proportions, color and shape. It's squatty too. lol Nice building though.

[Matthew]

I think you misunderstood me. This photo was taken by futuresooner on page 5 of this thread. I used it to show some of the over-looked details on this building. These are easier to see in person than in photos. The base is similar to Frost Bank Tower. This is one of the best skyscrapers in Nashville and among the best new skyscrapers in the southeast. I've followed it and would like to see more construction photos!

[freemanphotography]

I get it. I understand the concept. But anyone here who is an artist understands that the concept doesn't always translate well, to the finished product. From any distance, the setbacks appear to be more floors (not four individual, cresting walls); so it looks like the building is preparing for the crescendo...that never comes.

BnaBreaker, I would agree with you, if we were discussing making the Cool Springs Walmart match the brick facade of the rest of Franklin. Skyscrapers are an entirely different genre. They are statements of mocking defiance, demanding to be recognized. They frame the skyline and give a city its shape. A middle finger of celebration, in a sense. The Pinnacle building lost its top knuckle and nail, somewhere along the way.



There are far too many amazing buildings in Nashville to keep discussing this one.

[futuresooner]

Unfortunately, you're on a SKYSCRAPER website.

[futuresooner]

Exterior construction is pretty much complete, however work continues on the interior. Opening may come before the end of the year at current pace.

[KevinFromTexas]

Any skyline photos with the finished product?

[futuresooner]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Any skyline photos with the finished product?

I didn't get anyin the 2 weeks I was there last week and the one before. Basically it is the same as the previous bunch I posted in this thread and a Nashville photo thread, minus the crane.

Check this link out during daylight hours, a SkyCam from Vanderbilt gives an excellent perspective.
http://www.wtvf.com/Global/category.asp?C=101670

[TBONE39]

Here is a photo from my dad's condo in the Encore 14th floor.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YzbI5tjN5XaUneHOCh0Q0A?feat=directlink

[MidTenn1]

Some final pictures of the completed building.

















It does stretch out the skyline to the south quite a bit.

[KevinFromTexas]

Looking good.

Originally Posted by MidTenn1

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c373/pth3rd/Pinnacle4.jpg

It really looks strange to me. Like Austin's Frost Bank Tower with the crown lopped off at the top and then straightened.

[futuresooner]

The law firm Bass, Berry, and Sims begin moving in next week. The building's namesake, Pinnacle Financial, begins moving into their spaces at the start of next year.

I guess we can move this to completed next week.