Architecturally, what is the most important building ever constructed?

[CaliNative]

The Seagrams Building was pretty important for modernist architecture. From the 1950s into the 1980s when post-modernism arose, Seagrams was the model. A parallelpiped in a big plaza. Good or bad, it started there. In world history, I would agree that the Pantheon was important. Concrete, the big dome, etc. Showed the possibilities. Set the stage for Hagia Sophia etc. Crystal Palace was innovative. Agree on the Eiffel Tower too. Essentially paved the way for iron/steel frame skyscrapers. The invention of concrete by the Romans was possibly the most important materials innovation, along with mass produced steel in the 19th century, and of course the elevator by Mr. Otis.

Neo-Gothic masterpieces: Woolworth, Tribune Tower, Cathedral of Learning, Univ. Pitt., Stalinist Neo Gothic-Lomonosov State Univ. Moscow Tower; Art Deco: Empire State, Chrysler; modernist (early)- Bauhaus, Philadelphia Savings Fund Bldg., Rock. Center, Merchandise Mart, Chicago; Later modernist-Lever House, Seagrams, Marina City Towers; Post-Modern: ATT Bldg., Lipstick Bldg., Team Disney Animation Building (whimsical use of 7 dwarfs as caryatids supporting the roof), Apple Headquarters, Cupertino; Brutalist Modern: The Pentagon; Gehry Post Modern: Bilbao complex, Disney Concert Hall, "Fred & Ginger dancing buildings" in Prague. Other: Golden Gate Bridge; Griffith Observatory, Hoover Dam, Space Needle, Gateway Arch

[Kenneth]

The Henry Ford auto plant facility, mass production of automobiles, livable wages for millions, and a major reason for social independence

[MolsonExport]

edmontonjournal



you can grill a steak on the exterior facade

[HomeInMyShoes]

Good old Kaden Tower. It's starting to grow on me over all the years of it showing up in the ugliest building ever threads.

[UrbanImpact]

It is pretty unique. The right paint job and renovation could make it a nice art nouveau looking building.

[JManc]

I went out of my way to see that building in person last time I was in Louisville.

[SIGSEGV]

Some Chicago buildings that have an outsize legacy. Maybe I'm just parroting propaganda from various tours though...

Home Insurance Building (sadly gone): first steel frame construction. Because it didn't fall down, other skyscrapers could be built?
860-880 N Lakeshore Dr: The modernist prototype.
Sears Tower: Pioneered bundled tubes
Robie House: Hugely influential for modern home designs, apparently.

[Maldive]

decision-makers

Because all the sociopathic twitter litter archived so far, should be enough warning. Encourage all American citizens living in Canada to vote (most didn’t last time)… should be enough.

The ‘revisionist’ debate:
https://www.atomicheritage.org/history/debate-over-bomb

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by JManc

I went out of my way to see that building in person last time I was in Louisville.

Is it still there? Not yet burned down?

[the urban politician]

Nothing said here holds a candle to the Great Pyramids

Nearly 5000 years old
Colossal
The very first and by far the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World—and the only one of the original still standing

They were the very first construction projects of this dramatic scale undertaken by our species. And they knocked it out of the park for ALL of subsequent mankind to behold.

There is no competition

[the urban politician]

Sorry everybody, but the Parthenon is nothing even close to spectacular architecturally. What, a bunch of columns? Wow, I’m so blown away!

Typical Euro-centric bias, no surprise.

Only thing that is as earth shattering as the Great Pyramid is perhaps the first high rise buildings that didn’t rely on load-bearing walls. And the latter is still a WAY distant second

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

Is it still there? Not yet burned down?

It was away from downtown a bit.

[dc_denizen]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Sorry everybody, but the Parthenon is nothing even close to spectacular architecturally. What, a bunch of columns? Wow, I’m so blown away!

Typical Euro-centric bias, no surprise.

Only thing that is as earth shattering as the Great Pyramid is perhaps the first high rise buildings that didn’t rely on load-bearing walls. And the latter is still a WAY distant second

The glory that was Greece. The grandeur that was Rome

[Hudson11]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

edmontonjournal



you can grill a steak on the exterior facade

Bridgeport CT, who was first???

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Sorry everybody, but the Parthenon is nothing even close to spectacular architecturally. What, a bunch of columns? Wow, I’m so blown away!

Typical Euro-centric bias, no surprise.

Only thing that is as earth shattering as the Great Pyramid is perhaps the first high rise buildings that didn’t rely on load-bearing walls. And the latter is still a WAY distant second

I would go with the Tower of Jericho personally. It’s not as awe-inspiring as the pyramids, but for a hunter-gatherer society in the year 8000 BC to embark on the construction of a tower before the concept of cities, states, and civilizations even exists is a tremendous statement about humanity and architecture.

[CaliNative]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Sorry everybody, but the Parthenon is nothing even close to spectacular architecturally. What, a bunch of columns? Wow, I’m so blown away!

Typical Euro-centric bias, no surprise.

Only thing that is as earth shattering as the Great Pyramid is perhaps the first high rise buildings that didn’t rely on load-bearing walls. And the latter is still a WAY distant second

The Great Wall of China was a pretty spectacular project for its day, but as always the migrants, Mongols in this case, got in anyway and even were running China after a few years. Walls are permeable.

[dc_denizen]

It’s not our fault that , in contrast to Rome and Persia , very little architecture exists from ancient (2000 years ago) China , Japan , India etc

You can walk around the ruins of the imperial palace in Rome where Trajan and marcus Antonionius went about their business. Besides it’s architectural significance . The Pantheon is awesome because it’s still standing 1800 years later . Can’t say the same for China , it all got destroyed over time or was built of non durable materials

Also Roman concrete was durable , and the Chinese and Indians never learned the recipe

[montréaliste]

Originally Posted by dc_denizen

It’s not our fault that , in contrast to Rome and Persia , very little architecture exists from ancient (2000 years ago) China , Japan , India etc

You can walk around the ruins of the imperial palace in Rome where Trajan and marcus Antonionius went about their business. Besides it’s architectural significance . The Pantheon is awesome because it’s still standing 1800 years later . Can’t say the same for China , it all got destroyed over time or was built of non durable materials

Also Roman concrete was durable , and the Chinese and Indians never learned the recipe

The Great wall of China is eleven thousand miles long and was started in the 7th Century BC.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by dc_denizen

The Pantheon is awesome because it’s still standing 1800 years later .

Not only is it standing, it's in great shape, and largely looks as originally built. They removed the front stairs and added Catholic iconography when converted to church in the early middle ages but it's basically the best-preserved Roman-era structure.

[kool maudit]

lil love for the OG by the rivers