Quote:
Originally Posted by NewAtlantisMiami
I rejoice at any building in the world that goes up that is over 500 feet tall. As ugly as it may be, at least it got built and it counts as a skyscraper. Historically, I'm glad we kept the old Freedom Tower, but I would trade it any day for a building over 500 feet tall.
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I respect your enthusiasm for tall buildings, but I think there is a real problem with a philosophy that would tear down that ornate, gorgeous building "...any day for a building over 500 feet tall." This isn't Lego Land -- ultimately, we are building an environment for
humans. This is a built environment that we're supposed to inhabit on the ground, day-to-day, and feel comfortable with.
Let's replace surface parking lots, for example, with these high-rises, with strict attention to how the new building interacts with the street. And go 500 feet if you want -- but tearing down these detailed, inspired structures like the Freedom Tower for more homogenous glass towers rips the soul out of our cities in exchange for bragging rights.
As fun as it is to watch the 'next tallest' go up, the willingness to build it "as ugly as it may be" just so it "counts as a skyscraper" will one day, in my opinion, leave our
communities like ghetto, high-rise strip malls.