Never built Helmut Jahn

Vertigo · #1 Posted **Sep 27, 2010, 3:28 AM**

Just picked up a Helmut Jahn book published in 1986. It was only 5 bucks..woohoo!! What I found most interesting were the projects that were never built. All photos by Keith Palmer.

Humana Building 1982
Louisville

The Humana Building design was later utilized for a project in Durban, South Africa.

Block 37 1983
Chicago

Two early renderings

The final design included a 300,000 square foot shopping mall. Inspired in part by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan. No comment on what eventually became of this space.

Bank of the Southwest Tower 1982
Houston

Helmut actually presented seven designs for the tower.

The final design

60 Wall Street 1983
New York

Three different designs were offered.

The final contextual rendering

San Diego Convention Center 1984

Broadway and 52nd Street 1985
New York

South Ferry Plaza 1985
New York

Television City 1985

150 story tower

Ten Columbus Circle 1985
New York

1,275 feet tall

photoLith · #2 Posted **Sep 27, 2010, 3:35 AM**

Its such a shame that Houston tower never got built, we would have the most damned impressive skyline in America for sure.

SkyscrapersOfNewYork · #3 Posted **Sep 27, 2010, 3:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo

Just picked up a Helmut Jahn book published in 1986. It was only 5 bucks..woohoo!! What I found most interesting were the projects that were never built. All photos by Keith Palmer.

love twc but this is gorgeous!

KevinFromTexas · #4 Posted **Sep 27, 2010, 3:45 AM**

I'm a Helmut Jahn fan. I like his facades. His building designs rely more on facade detail than other features like massing and shape.

That one in Houston would have been 1,352 feet if I remember correctly.

That sure does look like Messeturm in Frankfurt, Germany which was also designed by Helmut Jahn.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/...b8c9b301_b.jpg

Tolbert · #5 Posted **Sep 27, 2010, 1:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo

San Diego Convention Center 1984

This is not San Diego Convention Center. Its Messeturm Frankfurt that actually got build and is stil standing next to historic Festhalle an the Messe area.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/...705c7ee3_z.jpg

Vertigo · #6 Posted **Sep 27, 2010, 1:37 PM**

^^^

Good catch...

I thought this design looked a lot like 'the pencil' tower in Frankfort. Yet the book had no mention of the Frankfort project. Instead, this photo was on the page listing the San Diego Convention Center. I just assumed it was another recycled project similar to what he did with the Humana Building in South Africa.

Nowhereman1280 · #7 Posted **Sep 27, 2010, 10:47 PM**

Helmut Jahn: The Starchitect that Never Was...

Seriously, its a shame that, for some reason, Jahn never exploded into the mainstream in the way that other Starchitects did. I mean he really was one of the few that did PoMo right and continues to turn out excellent modernist buildings these days. I don't know why his popularity never really took off, but its a shame.

scalziand · #8 Posted **Sep 29, 2010, 4:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo

60 Wall Street 1983
New York

Three different designs were offered.

The final contextual rendering

That's way better than the 60 Wall that got built.

plinko · #9 Posted **Sep 29, 2010, 5:19 AM**

Somewhere I have a book of Jahn's sketches, which are phenomenal.

I'd put Jahn's work up there with anybody out there.

Patrick · #10 Posted **Sep 29, 2010, 6:03 AM**

Ah, 1980's conceptual skyscrapers, can't get enough of them! Thank you for these!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo

Block 37 1983
Chicago

Interesting, two of those three designs were eventually recycled, but on a much smaller scale.

International Plaza, NYC

http://www.onestopenergy.com/clients/

The Tower, LA

http://www.imbercourtreporters.com/c...nce_rooms.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo

South Ferry Plaza 1985
New York

Sigh, if only!!!

plinko · #11 Posted **Sep 29, 2010, 6:31 AM**

^Agreed. THAT is the South Ferry proposal I really liked.

spyguy · #12 Posted **Sep 30, 2010, 12:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

Helmut Jahn: The Starchitect that Never Was...

Seriously, its a shame that, for some reason, Jahn never exploded into the mainstream in the way that other Starchitects did. I mean he really was one of the few that did PoMo right and continues to turn out excellent modernist buildings these days. I don't know why his popularity never really took off, but its a shame.

Cover Browser

He'll never be a Gehry (one could argue that's a good thing), but he's still respected and gets commissions around the world. Why else would he have been asked to design two towers for City Center alongside KPF, Vinoly, Libeskind, Foster, Pelli?

plinko · #13 Posted **Sep 30, 2010, 12:28 AM**

A friend of mine used to work for Lucien Lagrange, and said that the office once went bowling against Jahn's firm. She told me that Mr. Jahn is a bit intense.

I read an interview once that stated that he signs all of his drawings with a brown ink pen (a really expensive pen, though I can't remember what kind). And anytime somebody in his office gets licensed, he gives them one of these pens. I always thought that was pretty interesting.

My older sister remembered the story and when I got licensed, bought me a really expensive pen with brown ink. I only use it to sign my drawings and for nothing else.

*totally unrelated to the topic at hand, but he is one of my favorites*

Onn · #14 Posted **Sep 30, 2010, 12:45 AM**

I think there's a reason many of these were never built...I'm sorry to say the Houston one is pitiful, a rip-off of One Liberty Place in Philadelphia.

Onn · #15 Posted **Sep 30, 2010, 12:46 AM**

Double post, why I don't know...

plinko · #16 Posted **Sep 30, 2010, 12:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onn

I think there's a reason many of these were never built...I'm sorry to say the Houston one is pitiful, a rip-off of One Liberty Place in Philadelphia.

FYI, the Houston tower was designed first, so I guess that makes 1LP a pitiful rip-off?

Onn · #17 Posted **Sep 30, 2010, 12:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by plinko

FYI, the Houston tower was designed first, so I guess that makes 1LP a pitiful rip-off?

Yes, yes it is. They look uncannily similar. This guy must have stole that guy's design...

Nowhereman1280 · #18 Posted **Sep 30, 2010, 1:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onn

Yes, yes it is. They look uncannily similar. This guy must have stole that guy's design...

Helmut Jahn is a thieving bastard for having stolen those designs from some unknown firm called "Murphy/Jahn" or something like that...

Onn · #19 Posted **Sep 30, 2010, 1:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

Helmut Jahn is a thieving bastard for having stolen those designs from some unknown firm called "Murphy/Jahn" or something like that...

I think I got it! Helmut must have used a time machine to go ahead a few years and steal this Murphy/Jahenn-hosens...design for 1 Liberty Place, and took it back for that Houston tower. Wow, it's future theft.

RobertWalpole · #20 Posted **Sep 30, 2010, 1:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick

Ah, 1980's conceptual skyscrapers, can't get enough of them! Thank you for these!

Interesting, two of those three designs were eventually recycled, but on a much smaller scale.

International Plaza, NYC

http://www.onestopenergy.com/clients/

When I saw the proposal for block 37 in Chicago, I immediately thought of the tower on 59th and Lex. I scrolled down and saw that you had the same thought. I love that tower.