25 Buildings to Demolish Right Now (Commentary)

[M II A II R II K]

25 Buildings to Demolish Right Now




Read More: http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5074

When proportion, balance, form and function come together in a delicate harmony, architecture is nothing short of an art form. But when, on occasion, those principles clash, the results can be eye-searingly awful. We asked 15 architects and our own staff to weigh-in on what buildings, given the chance, they'd take a wrecking ball to.

Explanations in links.






Boston City Hall in Boston, MA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5074






Barbie’s Dream House in Malibu, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5075






Portland Building in Portland, Oregon

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5076






Meadowlands Xanadu in East Rutherford, NJ

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5077






EMP Museum in Seattle, Washington

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5078






The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5079






Marriott Marquis Hotel in San Francisco, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5080






Thomas Kinkade Homes in Vallejo, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5081






The Ascent in Covington, KY

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5082






The J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington D.C.

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5083






I-95 Freeway in Philadelphia, PA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5084






Kaden Building in Louisville, KY

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5085






Mall of America in Bloomington, MN

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5086






Trump Tower in New York, NY

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5087






New Mint in San Francisco, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5088






MetLife Building in New York, NY

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5089






Daly City in San Mateo County, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5090






The Ziggurat Building in West Sacramento, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5091






AT&T Central Office in Houston, TX

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5092






8500 Melrose Ave., in Los Angeles, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5093






Morris A. Mechanic Theater in Baltimore, MD

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5094






Oakley Headquarters in Orange County, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5095






Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5096






Geisel Library at the University of California in San Diego in La Jolla, CA

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5097






Denver Public Library in Denver, CO

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5098

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Dumb list. The "fifteen architects" that they asked should have their license to practice taken away.

[arkitekte]

This list is pretty stupid. The fact that they put the Barbie house in there made me not even want to read the commentary on the other structures.

[Jasoncw]

I think it's a great list. No matter who you are there's a building that obviously should not be demolished and a building that you don't really care for. The list can successfully rile up or interest anyone.

If anyone here has a blog and they're desperate for views, you know what to do!

[Kingofthehill]

What's with all the hate on Brutalism? In 10-15 years, we are going to regret demolishing many of our Mid-Century structures. The next focus on the historic preservation trajectory will likely be Brutalism (just like Modernism now, and Art-Deco before that).

Also, LOL @ the entire city of Daly City being on there.

[Roadcruiser1]

I rather see most of the buildings mentioned above renovated then demolished. If they are demolished they will most certainly be replaced by glass boxes which are also kinda dull. I like some of these Modernist buildings as well and I don't get why they need to be replaced.

[ThatOneGuy]

They want the Trump Tower demolished? WTF is wrong with them?

[DrNest]

Originally Posted by ThatOneGuy

They want the Trump Tower demolished? WTF is wrong with them?

The inside of that Trump needs a major redesign. It is ghastly with gold rails and pinkish marble. But the outside is a great looking skyscraper.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Originally Posted by Kingofthehill

What's with all the hate on Brutalism? In 10-15 years, we are going to regret demolishing many of our Mid-Century structures. The next focus on the historic preservation trajectory will likely be Brutalism (just like Modernism now, and Art-Deco before that).

Also, LOL @ the entire city of Daly City being on there.

My sentiments exactly, although I think that timeline is a little optimistic.

[SD_Phil]

Intentionally inflammatory list is inflammatory

[M II A II R II K]

There is a point about outstanding buildings that thrust themselves into a city's main skyline to want to get rid of, but why bother to zero in on individual residences in obscure places...

[Amanita]

Yeah, why the hell is Trump Tower on the list? And I actually LIKE the Pan Am/Metlife building!

[rockyi]

The only one on the list I truly hate is the Kaden Building. What a steaming pile of shit.
The Barbie Dream House is just stupid to have been included.

[photoLith]

The only thing that really deserves to get blown up on that list is the Thomas Kinkaide houses. I cant imagine the kind of pretentious douchebag Christians that would want to live in such things, let alone buy his paintings.

[Rico Rommheim]

The justifications for the demolitions aren't very well thought out, at all.

New Mint in San Francisco, CA
Opened in 1937, the New Mint in San Francisco isn’t exactly “new” and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better with age. The building no longer produces circulating coins for the US Mint, though it does still produce proof coins. Architect Tom McElroy calls it, “A waste of prime real estate that’s encased behind barbed wire. What's the point? What exactly is going on in there? Send in the wrecking ball!”

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/...right-now/5088


Yeah, what's the point indeed?

[Yankee]

I disagree with the list. The only buildings in there that I dislike aesthetically are the brutalist buildings, J Edgar Hoover and Boston City Hall, but I don't think they should be demolished. Brutalism is part of our architectural heritage and we shouldn't try to erase it. J Edgar Hoover isn't even that ugly, it's one of very few examples where they've made the style work. They could move Boston City Hall into a new building, but don't tear down the old one.

[Fardeb]

Several of these they seem to be including based on what had to be demolished in order for the current building to be built moreso than the buildings themselves. That might have been a compelling reason for them never to be built in the first place but it doesn't particularly strike me as relevant in itself if your discussing reasons a building should be demolished.

[NYC GUY]

Barclay's Center? I don't see anything wrong with it and it's not even completed yet.

[Tyler Xyroadia]

Originally Posted by Kingofthehill

What's with all the hate on Brutalism? In 10-15 years, we are going to regret demolishing many of our Mid-Century structures. The next focus on the historic preservation trajectory will likely be Brutalism (just like Modernism now, and Art-Deco before that).

Aside from most Brutalism being horrific and ugly, many of us hold it in contempt because all we can see is what was destroyed to make WAY for many Brutal buildings.

The rise of Modernism and Brutalism in the 60s and 70s was paved on an architectural holocaust commited against countless treasures from the turn of the century.

I will agree that what is built NOW should be preserved, (much to my grudge) but that does not detract from the burning feeling of disgust many have when viewing these buildings.

[MolsonExport]

Some of these are like "fuck yeah, implode the fucker", while others are like "WTF??"

most Brutalism being horrific and ugly

Agreed.

Mall of America is some serious fugly shit.

The Kaden is too ugly to demolish. It should be retained on account of its sheer fugliness.

Boston city hall is most certainly a terrible mistake. A real fulgy to behold in an otherwise beautiful city (Pru centre is rather ugly, mind you).

In a few years, I am sure we will be seeing all those Gehry tinfoil buildings topping the "destroy now" lists.

Also Libeskind's barfingly retarded and ugly "Crystal" tacked to the face of the ROM (Toronto) rather like the way some ugly giant mole squats upon the face of a Russian granny.