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  #1  
Old Posted Jun 28, 2008, 2:03 AM
HOUSTONIAN57 HOUSTONIAN57 is offline
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HOUSTON | Houston tower | 6,864 FT / 2,092 M | 500 FLOORS | VISION

Does anyone have a rendering on this one? Its called the "Houston Tower" it would have been the tallest building ever built, but its height [1.3 miles high and the oil bust] is most likely the causes of this one not being built.

It would have covered nine downtown city blocks(causing them to demolish some existing buildings).The design of the building would have used 16 bundle triangular tubes.

Can someone PLEASE find a rendering and give more info on this one....
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  #2  
Old Posted Jun 28, 2008, 3:37 AM
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I'm not sure if there are any renderings. And I don't think that the oil bust would make a difference either way, we're not going to see a building 1.3 miles high any time soon.
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  #3  
Old Posted Jun 28, 2008, 5:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HOUSTONIAN57 View Post
Does anyone have a rendering on this one? Its called the "Houston Tower" it would have been the tallest building ever built, but its height [1.3 miles high and the oil bust] is most likely the causes of this one not being built.

It would have covered nine downtown city blocks(causing them to demolish some existing buildings).The design of the building would have used 16 bundle triangular tubes.

Can someone PLEASE find a rendering and give more info on this one....
The reason it wasn't built was just due to the fact that it was a hypothetical structure, introduced to discuss the principles of a certain type of tube construction. A type that was actually included on a much smaller level in the construction of One Shell Plaza.

The 500 Floor version was discussed in a 1986 edition of "The Futurist" magazine. Again, purely hypothetical and discussed by the same players.

I have a Houston Post article from the early 80's that should better explain it...

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Old Posted Jul 10, 2008, 7:26 PM
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any idea of what materials were goin to be used
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  #5  
Old Posted Jul 11, 2008, 3:19 PM
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I think they mentioned duratanium.
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  #6  
Old Posted Jul 12, 2008, 2:47 PM
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You know if they made the design look more BD then they could actually make that. In a city like Shanghi or Dubai it would look good. If they were to build it now it would shadow out other buildings so they would need something very special.
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  #7  
Old Posted Jul 12, 2008, 8:52 PM
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this would of looked really out of place in the skyline.
but it would of been nice to see it to have been built.
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  #8  
Old Posted Jul 13, 2008, 9:38 AM
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I've only been to Houston once and I think anything this tall would look out of place and shadow everything. And what would they do about light every where would need lights as the buildings just so big. It's basically a triangler Sear Tower with more sections and takes up more space. I think it would waste those 9 blocks and thats a big place but at 1.3 miles high there must be so mcuh space. I think the reason this wasn't built is because it's not a good idea. Maybe in a built area but in Houston no. Look at that picture there's nothing even half the hieght.
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Old Posted Jul 13, 2008, 1:15 PM
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Originally Posted by lewisblack View Post
I've only been to Houston once and I think anything this tall would look out of place and shadow everything. And what would they do about light every where would need lights as the buildings just so big. It's basically a triangler Sear Tower with more sections and takes up more space. I think it would waste those 9 blocks and thats a big place but at 1.3 miles high there must be so mcuh space. I think the reason this wasn't built is because it's not a good idea. Maybe in a built area but in Houston no. Look at that picture there's nothing even half the hieght.
That's because it's an old picture from the 80's. Houston is nothing like that now. But at half the height, you are still above 3,000 feet. Nothing in the US would come close.

Last edited by Trae; Jul 23, 2008 at 7:49 PM. Reason: Spelling...
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  #10  
Old Posted Jul 21, 2008, 10:31 PM
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I found an image of this project in a 1990 book titled
'COSMOPOLIS' Yesterday's Cities of the Future.....by Howard Mansfield

....and yes, it does look like a triangular Sears Tower.

I'll scan it.

Last edited by ethereal_reality; Jul 21, 2008 at 11:14 PM.
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  #11  
Old Posted Jul 22, 2008, 9:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lewisblack View Post
I've only been to Houston once and I think anything this tall would look out of place and shadow everything. And what would they do about light every where would need lights as the buildings just so big. It's basically a triangler Sear Tower with more sections and takes up more space. I think it would waste those 9 blocks and thats a big place but at 1.3 miles high there must be so mcuh space. I think the reason this wasn't built is because it's not a good idea. Maybe in a built area but in Houston no. Look at that picture there's nothing even half the hieght.
Yes, because today the east side of DT looks exactly the same as it did in 1977-79 (based on aerial shots & maps from the period). mmkay.

I don't see where it mentioned "9 blocks" but based on the graphic from the period; Main, Leeland, Austin & Dallas streets would've been the boundaries giving it a 16 block footprint. Much of that space already has been developed (1500 Fannin, Parking Garages, Houston Pavilions, South Texas College of Law, etc...)

Regardless of the scope of this hypothetical project, that side of the district is growing quickly with, surprisingly enough, smaller scale developments than from the 70's and 80's boom that seem to be a bit more beneficial to residents and visitors. Worth noting in regard to today's developments; something of this scale, regardless of feasibility, I can't help but think would be dismissive to the street level.
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  #12  
Old Posted Jul 22, 2008, 1:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality View Post
I found an image of this project in a 1990 book titled
'COSMOPOLIS' Yesterday's Cities of the Future.....by Howard Mansfield

....and yes, it does look like a triangular Sears Tower.

I'll scan it.
Ah... please do. Thanks.
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  #13  
Old Posted Jul 22, 2008, 8:48 PM
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Here you go Houstonians.




"The plan would use bundles of steel tubes.
Technically, it could be built to 500 stories, a mile high.
The triangular structure would require a building site sixteen blocks long."

"It could single handedly revive the U.S. steel industry."


If you're also interested in Frank Lloyd Wright's mile high tower,
check out the thread 'The Illinois'.
I posted some pretty rare floor plans and elevations.
(caution: the scans are quite large)
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  #14  
Old Posted Jul 23, 2008, 6:16 PM
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Wow. Thanks... where are these other plans you speak of?
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  #15  
Old Posted Jul 23, 2008, 6:17 PM
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Wow, how unnecessary. Thanks for the scan though.

Quote:
"It could single handedly revive the U.S. steel industry."
And single-handedly kill necessity for any other project in Houston for decades to come.
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  #16  
Old Posted Jul 24, 2008, 2:46 AM
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This project is to much. Love the idea of being so tall, but a little more practical is what is really needed...

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  #17  
Old Posted Jul 24, 2008, 5:13 AM
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I think I remember seeing an old render of this one, but forgot where.
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  #18  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2008, 3:57 PM
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Yeah, I remember seeing a rendering of this project ifor the first time in a 1987 edition of Popular Science magazine. It also featured other supertall proposals like the Chicago World Trade Center. I wish I still had the copy because all the renderings were in color. It was a special edition on supertall proposals.
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  #19  
Old Posted Oct 15, 2008, 8:17 AM
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...Back when Houston had all the oil money before Dubai
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  #20  
Old Posted Oct 15, 2008, 2:40 PM
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I know. Surely there must be something we can do.
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