The Friendliest Building in New York

I apologise for the awkward photo, I took it whilst of a moving bus so it isn't great, but you can get the overall idea of the architecture. This is actually the Hearst (International Magazine) Building, which as you will notice looks quite odd as it combines the modern and the traditional/ new and old. The bottom of this building was built in 1928 by Joseph Urban and then the tower was added on in 2006 by Norman Foster. It's interesting as it's been built using a triangular framing pattern, which is considered to be quite uncommon.

Apart from the fact that it looks different, it's also famous because of the number of environmental considerations built into the plan, for example, the rain is stored in a tank in the basement and the building itself is made from 80% recycled steel. The tour guide also mentioned that they recycle just about everything that they can, which I think is great considering it' size. More companies should take notice of what they're doing in this building.

Which is the Fairest of Them All?

There has long been a debate in New York over which skyscraper should be considered as the most beautiful. On the one hand you have the Chrysler, which is probably the more well known building. But then there's the Woolworth building in lower Manhattan to consider. The Chrysler, built in 1930 by William Van Alen, stands as a masterpiece of Art Deco, with it's famous terraced crown. In contrast, the Woolworth is of the Neo Gothic style, built much earlier in 1913 by Cass Gilbert. It's one of the oldest skyscrapers, but at a modest 57 stories is dwarfed by the Chrysler, which stands as the 3rd tallest building in New York.

It's hard to decide between the two as they're both beautiful in their own ways. But when I got closer to the Woolworth I discovered all the tiny decorative features that just put me in awe, so for that reason, it would just edge ahead of the Chrysler.

A View From the Top

I have very recently been to New York for my 21st. Obviously this trip was about celebrating my birthday, but I was also wanted to explore, visit the sights and get a better sense of the culture. I've been before on a University trip, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but it felt quite rushed, so I was hoping to slow down a bit and see as much as possible.

So as you can imagine the next few posts will be all about New York: it's museums and amazing architecture that it's become famous for. Here is one of the most iconic buildings in the World; The Empire State Building. Most people know it for being the tallest building in New York, but there are a couple of interesting and inspiring facts you may not know. For example, this building was built in just over a year back in 1930, which at 102 floors is shocking. However this might have something to do with the fact it was at the centre of a competition for the tallest building, between Walter Chrysler and Jakob Raskob. So if you want a building built well and fast, then form a competition! But in all seriousness, I really was blown away by this building, it's not the prettiest in New York, but it has history and character and obviously amazing views.

St. Ives Tate

Having been to Cornwall and staying in St. Ives, I had to visit the Tate. They had an option for free entry after a certain time on a Friday, so being a poor student I decided this would be the best idea. Unfortunately I have to say, I'm glad I didn't have to pay any money as it wouldn't have been worth it. The architecture of this building is brilliant, it stands out but blends seemingly into it's surroundings. However I felt let down by the lack of content inside. I remember coming out of the gallery thinking, is that it. I realise it's not like the Met in New York with never ending space, but I still felt a little let down. They could have utilised the space better in order to fit more in. Also I didn't understand why they had chosen the artists that were in there, perhaps it's me being too subjective, but I didn't see anything I liked.

All in all, it was slightly disappointing, but you can't deny that this is a brilliantly designed building.

Just the other part of Eden?

When visiting The Eden Project, there's one part that you don't usually hear about. This is the Core, otherwise known as Eden's education centre. Just like the biomes, I was really impressed with the architecture of the building. It actually tells you inside all about how it's actually one of the most sustainable buildings in the world having been designed on nature. Obviously the most striking feature is the roof, made from an intricate web of curved timberbeams. It's actually based on the fibonacci sequence (a pattern found in many natural forms). I read inside that the idea here was to mimic the way daisys work together to create a base for insects to land. After last year's course in Design Theory, I found learning about the architechture really interesting.

Which biome was your favourite?

After five years of visiting the South West of England, I finally managed to visit The Eden Project. Of course, what better day to visit than when hurricane Bill was making his last appearance. Unfortunately the rest of Cornwall had the exact same idea. I feel that if it wasn't as busy I would have enjoyed it more. But no matter how many people you have to share a biome with, you can't ignore the amount of time and effort that must have gone into this place.

Both the rainforest and mediterranean biome had their own appeal. The bigger and more grand rainforest biome certainly leaves an impression. But I have to say I think the little details made it interesting, for example, all the drawings on the walls (see above).

In saying that, the architechture of Eden is definetely what you come here to see. I was strangely in awe of the way some of the triangles opened and closed to moderate the temperature within the biome (see above). This really did show me that Eden isn't just a big greenhouse.

Magma Art & Congress Centre

When on holiday in Tenerife I noticed this building whilst on a passing bus. It's clean and contemporary appearence really did catch my attention. I especially liked the way the roof wound it's way around the building. Unfortunately I didn't have time to go back for a closer look, but it didn't need more than a quick glance to inspire me.