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re: Why are new skyscrapers so ugly?
Posted on 7/16/25 at 8:49 am to Happygilmore
Posted on 7/16/25 at 8:49 am to Happygilmore
I am not a lib sky screamer by any means but I find the Trump tower in Chicago to be pretty ugly. Not because it’s Trump branded just because there’s something off about the way it looks in general and in the context of the buildings around it
1
Posted on 7/16/25 at 8:54 am to TexasTiger08
Modern architecture often embraces minimalist, modernist or brutalist styles, prioritizing sharp, straight lines and lots of glass over aesthetics. These buildings are generally cheaper and faster to build as they don't require certain craftsmanship. Their autist-like focus on utilitarianism results in uninspiring buildings which lack traits which lend towards buildings having an iconic status.
If I had to boil it down to a single phrase, it's the push for quantity over quality. Get them built quickly and to code, then move on to the next one ad nauseum. For me it's no different than the cookie-cutter neighborhoods you see where every home is the almost the exact same build (with only slight deviations).
If I had to boil it down to a single phrase, it's the push for quantity over quality. Get them built quickly and to code, then move on to the next one ad nauseum. For me it's no different than the cookie-cutter neighborhoods you see where every home is the almost the exact same build (with only slight deviations).
Posted on 7/16/25 at 9:25 am to Grumpy McSmiles
quote:Small degree of sway?. When I was on the roof of the World Trade Center that building was swaying like at a Dead Concert.
Fun fact: skyscrapers are built to allow for a small degree of "sway"
Posted on 7/16/25 at 10:17 am to TexasTiger08
Those are good looking to me.
Posted on 7/16/25 at 10:23 am to TexasTiger08
The examples in the OP aren't that bad IMO. There are far worse examples altough the Leonard Street one is pretty horrific.
Generally today architects are just not creative; and they are pressured to cut material costs and energy costs. So no pretty designs, just slab sided crap with glass and very few, cheap details.
And our buildings are a reflection of their view of the world, which is bleek. By making them nothing but glass, the building ironically feels more cold and less welcoming. They feel like a fancy fortress that shut the world out.
Even in smaller, single floor retail developments, you see fewer roof elements extending out into the sidewalks or parking areas because they could limit view of signage. You see this trend with strip malls and newer fast food places too. It feels less welcoming, more sterile, and more cold than similar examples from as recent as 30 years ago. We made big strides in landscaping design and brand psychology, but they both seemed to trump building design recently.
McDonalds is a fantastic example of this, but it's not the only one. The newer ones are designed to feel sleek and modern, but they really just feel more sad. And then it's made worse by the over use of dull greys and charcoal like colors inside and out. Between that and their inability to keep their locations clean, it almost seems like they want to discourage people from going inside the building and encourage them to use the Drive Thru.
Generally today architects are just not creative; and they are pressured to cut material costs and energy costs. So no pretty designs, just slab sided crap with glass and very few, cheap details.
And our buildings are a reflection of their view of the world, which is bleek. By making them nothing but glass, the building ironically feels more cold and less welcoming. They feel like a fancy fortress that shut the world out.
Even in smaller, single floor retail developments, you see fewer roof elements extending out into the sidewalks or parking areas because they could limit view of signage. You see this trend with strip malls and newer fast food places too. It feels less welcoming, more sterile, and more cold than similar examples from as recent as 30 years ago. We made big strides in landscaping design and brand psychology, but they both seemed to trump building design recently.
McDonalds is a fantastic example of this, but it's not the only one. The newer ones are designed to feel sleek and modern, but they really just feel more sad. And then it's made worse by the over use of dull greys and charcoal like colors inside and out. Between that and their inability to keep their locations clean, it almost seems like they want to discourage people from going inside the building and encourage them to use the Drive Thru.
This post was edited on 7/16/25 at 10:31 am
Posted on 7/16/25 at 10:37 am to T1gerNate
quote:
I am not a lib sky screamer by any means but I find the Trump tower in Chicago to be pretty ugly. Not because it’s Trump branded just because there’s something off about the way it looks in general and in the context of the buildings around it
The building is very nice on its own, but you are right that they struggled to contextualize it with the buildings around it. The horizontal elements try to match the horizontal elements of the buildings nearby....but it doesn't quite work IMO. It's not as bad as the glass box at 401 N Michigan, but it's not good either.
It doesn't help that some of the surrounding buildings are particularly beautiful. The bar is so high with the Wrigley building and the beautiful Michigan Ave/Chicago River area right there - Michigan Ave right on the river is honestly one of the most architecturally beautiful part of the country right there. It's an amazing piece of real estate and a great location, but I don't think anything I've seen built in the last 50 years anywhere could really pull off that spot.
It also doesn't help that they affixed 3 story tall TRUMP font about 1/3 of the way up that is perfectly aligned to be visible down Wabash for at least a half mile through the loop, from the Michigan Ave bridge, and along that whole section of Upper Wacker. The font matches the height of the Wrigley Building - which is photographed all the time. Every El station along Wabash has a fantastic view of that building and the branding, which is sort of funny to me. I've walked across the Michigan Ave bridge hundreds of times since he took office, and it's rare to not see someone taking a selfie while they give the building a middle finger.
This post was edited on 7/16/25 at 10:46 am
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