Reply With QuoteI'm not sure I'll like this detail.
I thought the office entrance was the indented space between the tower and low-rise part of the building.
Funny, I don't ever recall seeing them in the renderings before.
I'd bet they'll be clear glass.
A nice touch nonetheless - could shield passerbys from possible falling ice, if there should be any.
I'm not sure I'll like this detail.
I thought the office entrance was the indented space between the tower and low-rise part of the building.
You can see it on the model (lower left -- looks like they plan to have lights for the facade along the edge):
This is what has gone up at the indented "nooks", near where the tower meets the low rise section:
Iin the photo of the model above you can see a clear passageway through the building from the indented space on W. 41st to the indented space on W. 40th. I'm hoping those side entrances will also allow the public access to the interior garden area (but perhaps I'm too optimistic on that oneOriginally Posted by ZippyTheChimp
).
Another shot of that area on the model:
The street-level spaces at the western-most part of the tower on both 41st & 40th at 8th Avenue have been, for the most part, fully enclosed & are now separated from the lobby -- that's where the structure for the awning has gone up. I believe that those spaces will be for retail facing those side streets and (from a bit of a distance due to the notches at the corners) 8th Avenue. The larger center section of the tower at street level facing 8th is the main lobby entrance (and it looks to be close to completion); it goes through to the elevator core and beyond that meets the passageway.
The model also shows an awning of sorts will go up there along 8th Avenue:
The best thing I can say for the Times Tower at this point is that it's one
of the buildings that will return the skyline to its glory days when spires were
the exclamation point, the classic skyline shot that many cities these days try to emulate.
FEBRUARY 18, 2007
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The building will be done just in time for the Times to go under.
I'm not sure I agree when it's said that the spire on the NY Times Tower is doing much for the skyline, or restoring glory in any way. It's more like a mast than a spire, just plopped on there without being gracefully proportioned or substantial enough to affect the skyline. The best thing about the Chrysler spire is that it grows so beautifully out of the shapes below it. NY Times Tower doesn't come close, it stumbled at mediocre. Just a flattop with some sideburns and a toothpick.
I agree. This whole "the a-spire-ing return of the glamorous skyline" thing is a bit hollow since none of the towers that we've seen so far naturally shrink down to an appropriate size to complement and glorify a slender spire, which is what the old towers did best. And especially with this building, nothing about it shouts "glorious!" IMO. Don't get me wrong it's nice, but not glorious.
Once this gets consumed by the inevitable westward expansion of the midtown plateau, it will, when viewed from a distance such as from across the Hudson, be difficult to tell what tower that spire emanates from, whereas with a building with sculpting like the Chrysler, you'll always know where it originated from. I'd say this is already happening to the Conde Nast.
It helps the skyline overall, even the Conde Naste antenna does that.
It may not be "glorious", but it does make its mark on the skyline, unlike so many of Manhattan's latest towers. It could have been a little bigger, but then again, the entire tower could have been better.
With a skyline as massive as Manhattan's, it's the peak that's important, not where it originates from. And every spire doesn't have to be the same. You've got the Chrysler, the BofA, even the Empire State. Hopefully there will be a few more added to Midtown. The Freedom Tower will restore some spire glory Downtown.Once this gets consumed by the inevitable westward expansion of the midtown plateau, it will, when viewed from a distance such as from across the Hudson, be difficult to tell what tower that spire emanates from, whereas with a building with sculpting like the Chrysler, you'll always know where it originated from. I'd say this is already happening to the Conde Nast.
The building......what can I say,,,,,,but, it's a big disappointment......
The top looks unfinished --- is it ?
The antenae reminds me of the one formerly on one of the World Trade Center towers.
What should be interesting is how the New York Times architectural critic will review the building..... Does he have the nerve (balls) to give it an honest assessment, as if it was built for another tenant.... lets wait and see..
It's no Hearst Tower, that's for sure.
Last edited by NoyokA; February 19th, 2007 at 11:09 PM.
The best thing I can say for the Times Tower at this point is that it's one
of the buildings that will return the skyline to its glory days when spires were
the exclamation point, the classic skyline shot that many cities these days try to emulate.
Look at that amazing stone mountain range of a skyline along Eighth Avenue between 34th and 39th! The Empire City lives.
You seem to be assuming that every one should find the Time Tower a failure. However ...
If I were the architectural critic for the NY Times I would give Paino's building (even in it's unfinished state) a glowing review and label it the most glorious building to go up in NYC in years.
Yes, better than Hearst (which, even with all its great points, is too short and stubby -- as nearly everyone acknowledges). Besides, the Hearst is a self-enclosed corporate structure that only the public only a winking glimpse of the great interior spaces there. At the Times Tower those spaces will be on view for all to see.
It's definitely better than TWC.
Better than Gehry's IAC (when will Gehry figure out how to do doorways?).
B of A will give the Times Tower a run for its money -- but as many have noted the interaction with 42nd Street could be deadly.
Until the Hudson Yards get built out (and God only knows when that might happen -- seeing as how the MTA seems to be killing all hope of an extension of the 7-Line any time soon) the Times Tower will be, next to the ESB, the most prominent tower for those viewing Manhattan from the west.
Times Tower is Tops in my book.
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