<p>Not a prospective arch major here, but I sure am a HUGE admirer of architecture and the profession of architecture, especially skyscrapers and such; it is really the only art form I feel I can truly appreciate. Seems like a very rewarding career too, I just dont have the talent at drawing it seems to require.<br>
Anyways, I am just curious as to what everyone’s favorite building is. Personally, I think the Burj Dubai is hard to beat, or will be once it is finished. I also love the Jin Mao Tower, and the concept for the Chicago spire is intriguing. Sears tower stinks. Has anyone seen the concept for the possible Murjan Tower? It is pretty amazing as well. Doesn’t have to be a huge building of course, just one that you find inspiring.</p>
<p>Santiago Clatrava’s Milwaukee Art Museum and the Pantheon in Rome.</p>
<p>Santiago Calatrava’s work is very inspiring, the turing torso, the Chicago spire and the 80 south street housing in New York. i also like UAE tower in Dubai by Adrian Smith.</p>
<p>The Kimbell Museum in Ft. Worth.</p>
<p>rick</p>
<p>FOA’s Yokohama Intl Port Terminal, Coop Himmelb(l)au’s Akron art museum.
Of the buildings built in 2007, VilLa NM by UNStudio.</p>
<p>grand central station, nyc</p>
<p>Louis Kahn Salk Institute in san diego</p>
<p>never seen it in real life, but its pure amazing in pictures.</p>
<p>pei’s pyramid is amazing in person. i love the contrast in styles.</p>
<p>sfmoma in san francisco is really cool. i love the huge skylight in the center. it is interesting, and comprises of about 5 floors of the building which i find really cool</p>
<p>Maybe this doesn’t apply to this thread but my favorite is not any particular building listed above, rather any of them. I get off on things like light and shadows, people flow and spaces, texture and shape, and mostly the connectedness of the parts, the way different components of the design all become one, the old saw about the whole being more than the sum of the parts rings true. Then right away it’s how was this accomplished… At times I find myself in built space that I want to tear into. Claw through the skin, pluck apart the skeleton, rip up the foundation, get it back all the way to the original rough sketches scrawled quickly during an excited conversation… Then, slowly and deliberately walk the process back to the present structure.
It’s the pathway to the final execution from the first concept that always intrigues me.</p>
<p>-sara</p>
<p>My favorite skyscrapers are more conventional…I like Hong Kong’s Two International Finance Center: [Photo</a> of Two International Finance Centre: View from Victoria Harbour](<a href=“CoStar | # 1 Commercial Real Estate Information Company”>CoStar | # 1 Commercial Real Estate Information Company)</p>
<p>and, the Shanghai Financial Center looks real cool: [Photo</a> of Shanghai World Financial Center: Computer rendering](<a href=“CoStar | # 1 Commercial Real Estate Information Company”>CoStar | # 1 Commercial Real Estate Information Company)</p>
<p>As a homer L.A. pick, I love the Library Tower: [Photo</a> of US Bank Tower: View from the west](<a href=“CoStar | # 1 Commercial Real Estate Information Company”>CoStar | # 1 Commercial Real Estate Information Company)</p>
<p>I have to say the Burj Dubai ! Just witnessing this monster get built from scratch is beyond imaginary !!! My neck hurts whenever I pass by it . . . </p>
<p>PS: Dubai has amazing skyskrapers, it should be a good vacation destination for those that are interested in architecture.</p>
<p>^ How many floors is it supposed to be?</p>
<p>Yeah, I’d love to go vacation in Dubai sometime…looks like a lot of fun.</p>
<p>My favorite one is Le Corbusier’s Carpenter Center at Harvard University. It never looks impressive in picture, but the real architecture is just amazing.</p>
<p>Dancing House - Prague</p>
<p>oh i love Falling Water. I don’t know why but i just think it’s like the most amazing thing that i’ve ever seen.</p>
<p>chemegrad, right now its up to smthin like 142 floors, theyre estimating it to be around 200 floors when completed … The thing is, they are beingvery fussy with releasing the original height and amount of floors, due to the competition.</p>
<p>“oh i love Falling Water. I don’t know why but i just think it’s like the most amazing thing that i’ve ever seen.”</p>
<p>Well, Fallingwater was my previous favorite, that’s where I got my name from.</p>
<p>as nice as the carpenter center may look…i can tell you from personal experience in classes in the building its pretty impractical. there are around 4 entrances and the windows on the upper floors…are useless. in addition, there is no division on the upper floors so if your stuck with two classes on the same floor at the same time, be prepared to scream over the other class’ voices. oh plus there is no office space whatsoever except maybe some converted closets in the basement so offices are… sort of made from wooden barricades with no privacy at all</p>
<p>but none the less, it is a beautiful building in person!</p>
<p>anything art nouveau.</p>
<p>gaud</p>
<p>The Chicago Spire by Santiago Calatrava will be quite impressive.
[The</a> Chicago Spire. Inspired by nature, imagined by Calatrava.](<a href=“thechicagospire.com”>http://www.thechicagospire.com/)</p>
<p>I’m kind of surprised, given how tall it is, that it will be an entirely residential building.</p>