Most beautiful building in your city - Page 6

muppet · #**101** Posted **Nov 23, 2006, 11:01 AM**

shortly after opening

St Pancras station and Hotel, the biggest building in the world when it was completed. However the hotel became obsolete not long after due to inopportune inventions of central heating, electric bulbs, and elevators - and steadily fell into disrepair. By the 1860s the building had been gutted out into a cheap 1970s office block for the transport workers, complete with fluorescent lighting, viny floors and plastic and cemented walls. The vast train shed behind with its acres of glass had been 'roofed over' so it resembled a cave.
Thankfully a decade long restoration project + extension is nearing completion.

the looming Gothick confection

the building is haunted:

the vast train shed, the glass obliterated over by black roofing material

[img]

but is currently being restored back to the glass atria it once was:

LMich · #**102** Posted **Nov 23, 2006, 11:23 AM**

For a smaller structure in my city, this downtown coffee shop (former Michigan Millers Fire Insurance Company Building) is probably one of my favorite storefronts in the city:

Lyle · #**103** Posted **Nov 24, 2006, 3:56 PM**

Sun Life Building in Montreal

texcolo · #**104** Posted **Nov 24, 2006, 4:56 PM**

Denver: The old Tivoli Brewery / CU Denver Student Union Building

Musicisright · #**105** Posted **Nov 27, 2006, 5:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMich

For a smaller structure in my city, this downtown coffee shop (former Michigan Millers Fire Insurance Company Building) is probably one of my favorite storefronts in the city:

Beaner's! We have one down here.

I guess the most beautiful building in Mobile would have to go to the new queen of the skyline, the RSA Battlehouse Tower (still u/c). There are a few more that I like, but none like the RSA Tower.

I like the base a lot.

LMich · #**106** Posted **Nov 27, 2006, 8:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musicisright

Beaner's! We have one down here.[/IMG]

Yep, they are aggresively expanding. In fact, though they are quite behind Starbucks in sales, they are supposedly the second largest coffee shop franchise in the country.

Exodus · #**107** Posted **Nov 27, 2006, 11:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musicisright

Beaner's! We have one down here.

I guess the most beautiful building in Mobile would have to go to the new queen of the skyline, the RSA Battlehouse Tower (still u/c). There are a few more that I like, but none like the RSA Tower.

I like the base a lot.

I like that smaller building in the one pic.

CGII · #**108** Posted **Nov 27, 2006, 6:08 PM**

I can't really get into the crown on the RSA (it looks russian), but I love the rest.

Musicisright · #**109** Posted **Nov 28, 2006, 6:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exodus

I like that smaller building in the one pic.

Yeah, it's one of the other buildings that I had in mind. Now that I think about it, I should have picked it as my favorite:

courtesy Main Street Mobile

BnaBreaker · #**110** Posted **Nov 28, 2006, 4:19 PM**

For Nashville I'd say it's a toss-up between:

The Customs House

and

Union Station

Evergrey · #**111** Posted **Nov 30, 2006, 1:16 AM**

for Pittsburgh... close call between the Allegheny County Courthouse and the Cathedral of Learning... but I'll go with the Cathedral:

tecmsu06 · #**112** Posted **Nov 30, 2006, 2:29 AM**

In Pensacola I'd have to say either the Blount Building, Seville Tower, or the old train depot.

Blount Building

Seville Tower

Train Depot

Xelebes · #**113** Posted **Nov 30, 2006, 4:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evergrey

for Pittsburgh... close call between the Allegheny County Courthouse and the Cathedral of Learning... but I'll go with the Cathedral:

That is bloody awesome.

Xelebes · #**114** Posted **Nov 30, 2006, 4:53 AM**

Hotel Macdonald

Other mentions:

Alberta Legislature

Robertson-Wesley United Church

Heidelberg's Inland Cement Plant - some might say it is ugly but for some reason I love this towering plant.

muppet · #**115** Posted **Dec 2, 2006, 11:47 PM**

That Sun Life Montreal is just stunning.

FrancoRey · #**116** Posted **Dec 3, 2006, 5:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evergrey

for Pittsburgh... close call between the Allegheny County Courthouse and the Cathedral of Learning... but I'll go with the Cathedral:

I agree...this building kicks ASS! Why didn't we have more of these kinds of buildings built...it's very beautiful even today!

Azndragon837 · #**117** Posted **Dec 3, 2006, 8:13 AM**

Built in 1993, Phoenix's City Hall has always been my favorite, and it's a beautiful, modern tower that fits function with form. It blends modern architecture with a touch of Art Deco. The interior lobby, which is three stories high, is awesome. Here are some pics:

Courtesy of Stephen Bay

Phoenix City Hall to the left, along with the brutalist Wells Fargo Tower to its right. Photograph by Me (Andrew).

-Andrew

bucks native · #**118** Posted **Dec 3, 2006, 8:52 PM**

For unabashed excess, this building never ceases to amaze me. Each time I look at it I find a new feature. As a whole, it's close to overwhelming but in its details, each is a delight.

At 167 m (548 ft), including statue, it is the world's tallest masonry building: the weight of the building is borne by granite and brick walls up to 22 ft thick, rather than steel. The principal exterior materials are limestone, granite, and marble.

The building was designed by Scottish architect John McArthur, Jr., in the Second Empire style, and was constructed from 1871 until 1901 for a cost of $24 million. Originally designed to be the world's tallest building, by the time it was completed it had already been surpassed by the Washington Monument and the Eiffel Tower. With close to 700 rooms, City Hall remains the largest municipal building in North America and maybe the world.

The building is topped by an 11 m (37 ft), 27-ton bronze statue of city founder William Penn, one of 250 sculptures created by Alexander Milne Calder that adorn the building inside and out. The statue is the tallest atop any building in the world. Calder wished the statue to face south but it is a local legend that the citizens of the north side paid a bribe to have it face them.

For much of its history, City Hall remained the tallest building in Philadelphia, thanks to a "gentlemen's agreement." In 1987, it lost that distinction when One Liberty Place was completed. Penn's statue is hollow, and a narrow access tunnel through it leads to a small (22-inch-diameter) hatch atop the hat.

City Hall is a National Historic Landmark. In 2006, it was named an engineering landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

I hope these few pics show-up, it's the first time I've tried this. But pics alone cannot do this showpiece justice.

And with holiday lighting:

TheMeltyMan · #**119** Posted **Dec 4, 2006, 1:47 AM**

Huurgh, I used to take classes in the Cathedral of Learning. I miss the gothic interiors and cultural classrooms. I transferred to a university plagued with international style cubes and concrete boxes.

My favorite in Montreal is definately the Saint Joseph's Oratory.

Exodus · #**120** Posted **Dec 4, 2006, 2:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musicisright

Yeah, it's one of the other buildings that I had in mind. Now that I think about it, I should have picked it as my favorite:

courtesy Main Street Mobile

That is one beautiful building. When it comes to the tall buildings, I like The Merchants building. The art deco style and copper roof reminds me of Detroits Fisher building.