#028 l New York Times Tower l NEW YORK l 319m l 52fl

[ZZ-II]

New York Times Tower
New York City, USA

HEIGHT: 319m/1,046 feet
FLOORS: 52 floors
COMPLETION: 2008
ARCHITECT: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/2767/nyt1bw4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/emerbot/IMG_1169.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2098/2029678998_ad47789b12_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2129/2051319055_f2a308fd4c_b.jpg

9/10 IMO :)

[TRMD]

8/10

I like the top. :)

[coolbug1234]

7/10, antenna is too long

[Nielsiej13]

7,5/10. Classic, antenna quite long indeed

[ChrisZwolle]

Height is okay, antenna too long, I don't think the design fits very well into New York. I don't like the facade. 7/10

[MDguy]

took me awhile to warm up to it but i like, 8/10

[_00_deathscar]

Don't like this one at all.

4/10

[Wu-Gambino]

7/10

I thought this looked a lot better in the rendering; it's still a nice building.

[shivtim]

5/10
I just really don't like this tower. The renderings looked ok, but the finished project looks like a weird skeleton, and the spire is awkward. Still, a few points for sheer height.

[SimsPlanet2]

Perfect building, nice shape, nice height, nice colours, nice location. I like the boxy style. 9.5!

[Chi649]

I really liked the renderings, so I was perfectly fine with the design concept of NYTT. The problem was the executiuon.

Facade: Interesting concept using the ceramic rods to conserve energy. The problem is that the color choice was rather unfortunate as it makes the building look very dull and drab. Also, the window pattern as it looks against the facade makes the building look prision or parking garage like, with windows that are vertically small and horizontally continous.

Crown: Instead of having a nice gradual decrease of ceramic rod density from the bottom to the top of the crown, the rods on the crown just seem to disappear altogether. This acts to emphasize the vertical and horizontal supports of the crown, the thickness of which makes it look like some type of exoskeleton support structure, and therefore a perpetually under construction or unfinished look.

Spire: Well, it looks like a flagpole to me, and I just don't find that appealing. Also, I don't like that ring about 1/3 of the way up.

Positives: Internal stairs along facade. Exposed angular cross-braced structural support. It's in New York and not Chicago

I give it a 3.5

[naer889]

I dont like it at all!!! it could have been better designed.... and it looks kind of 70s.....5.0

[philvia]

i like it. its got one of the more interesting facades, really only thing i dont like is the spire. it would look even worse without a spire i think though. its really impressive in real live
8.5

[Fundador]

7/10:)

[Cabman]

I like the overall look of this tower and don't mind the spire but it just doesn't grab me.

7/10

[LeMoN-SK]

Not bad, not so good. 7/10

[megiddo]

The facade is spectacular!
Very nice - 9/10

[davee08]

the facade is great but the antenna ruins it for me so i give it a 6.5/10

[mbuildings]

very nice tower........9/10

[MasonicStage™]

great building. 9/10 :cheers:

[Þróndeimr]

Could always have been much worse, 7/10

[guzm@n]

8.5/10

The tower fits almost perfect in the skyline.

[jayhawker]

It is the greatest skyscraper built in the United States in a long long time. In any city but New York or Hong Kong, it would be the crown jewel of the skyline. It is a work of profound genius.

10

[Mateus_]

7/10

[Imperfect Ending]

7/10

I like the top fin thing, but everything else is a "meh"

[kon133]

9/10 :cheers:

Fatal localization

[MarquisDeAlsace]

love it

[W!CKED]

10/10

[xever_7]

Too large the antenna, too boxy doesn' help that much to NY. I really like the facade 6.5/10

[CentralD]

ugly building

[Chi649]

It is the greatest skyscraper built in the United States in a long long time. In any city but New York or Hong Kong, it would be the crown jewel of the skyline. It is a work of profound genius.

10What an insult to many cities across the world. In most cities, this would be the ugliest building :puke:


http://mathias.attali.free.fr/bldg/P1000574.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/nyctowers/2007/CIMG1663.jpg

[MDguy]

with the worst photos, any building can be the ugliest on earth


I must say, this is one buildings that looks plain ugly in photos and amazing in person

Here's the best photos i could find

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2380/2677390646_e789abb9ca_b.jpg
http://flickr.com/photos/yukonblizzard/2677390646/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2666913332_02e6edeb16_o.jpg
http://flickr.com/photos/erinhart/2666913332/

[philvia]

its amazing in person, most pictures dont capture its facade very well and turns it into a solid gray wall.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2399/2096690872_c699f570b0_o.jpg
http://flickr.com/photos/sudentas/2096690872/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/2313969853_f73e12edf1_b.jpg
http://flickr.com/photos/martinrp/2313969853/

[UtopianSkyscraper]

7/10

[loytm]

reasons are...
the design is not much surprising...no new kind of concept applied in this building architecture

the spire doesnt fit into this tower...this building doesnt deserve a spire on it..not nice...and the spire is too long...

i wonder why USA now like to follow Asian style to build buildings with a huge spire on top of it...

spire is mainly to add height and part of the design...it is not only to be added for fun...

[jayhawker]

What an insult to many cities across the world. In most cities, this would be the ugliest building



It is no insult at all and I stand by what I said. This building is that exceptional. Perhaps you are basing your judgment on poor pictures such as the ones you posted--once you see it in person you will agree with me.

[MelboyPete]

6/10 the top looks unfinished and the tower is too tall. Sorry but IMO this one isn't that good.

[Chi649]

It is no insult at all and I stand by what I said. This building is that exceptional. Perhaps you are basing your judgment on poor pictures such as the ones you posted--once you see it in person you will agree with me.To be fair, I have not seen it in person. Maybe my opinoin will change after I see it. However, I have seen many, many pics of it.

I think that the New York Times architecture critic has seen plenty of the building and is mostly unbiased. He had some pretty bad things to say about the tower:

"But despite the architect’s best efforts, the screens look flat and lifeless in the skyline. The uniformity of the bars gives them a slightly menacing air, and the problem is compounded by the battleship gray of the tower’s steel frame. Their dull finish deprives the facades of an enlivening play of light and shadow.

The tower’s crown is also disappointing. To hide the rooftop’s mechanical equipment and create the impression that the tower is dissolving into the sky, Mr. Piano extended the screens a full six stories past the top of the building’s frame. Yet the effect is ragged and unfinished. Rather than gathering momentum as it rises, the tower seems to fizzle."
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/20/arts/design/20time.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

with the worst photos, any building can be the ugliest on earth Not really. With NYTT, the best pics make it look ok, average pics make it look bad, and bad pics make it look absolutely hideous.

its amazing in person, most pictures dont capture its facade very well and turns it into a solid gray wall.From the hundreds of pics I have seen, almost every location and angle make the facade look like a solid grey wall. Your first picture perfectly illustrates my point. In order to make the face look decent and transparent, the perspective had to be 1 block away, up a couple of levels, and looking out at a zero degree angle (horizontally). From the posts I have read on NYTT, I don't recall people talking about the difference in facade transparency between pics and plain eyesight.

[shapeboy]

very nice :9/10:cheers:

[DamienK]

8/10

[philvia]

From the hundreds of pics I have seen, almost every location and angle make the facade look like a solid grey wall. Your first picture perfectly illustrates my point. In order to make the face look decent and transparent, the perspective had to be 1 block away, up a couple of levels, and looking out at a zero degree angle (horizontally). From the posts I have read on NYTT, I don't recall people talking about the difference in facade transparency between pics and plain eyesight.

well yea the viewing angle is going to change the look of the facade..
i think that's what, to me, is cool about it. walking closer to it and around the building, you get to see the facade "change"
different times of the day, the building looks changes a lot... IMO

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1257/862558825_1d160d860d_b.jpg
http://flickr.com/photos/americasroof/862558825/in/set-72157600934812293/

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2077/2401860217_2b63ca1fa7.jpg
http://flickr.com/photos/hyperbrand/2401860217/in/set-72157604470523399/

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1123/581274048_1d8f4c8978_b.jpg
http://flickr.com/photos/matthewkrautheim/581274048/in/set-482125/

[jayhawker]

Not really. With NYTT, the best pics make it look ok, average pics make it look bad, and bad pics make it look absolutely hideous.



If you truly think it looks merely "ok" in the photos posted by Philvia and MDguy--which as brilliant as they are, still don't do it justice--then I think we have figured out the problem. It isn't the tower, it's your taste.

:nuts:

[nygirl]

Yea I wasn't so excited about this one halfway up. When it took forever to finish it I lost even more interest and then last summer I looked north up Eighth Avenue from Jackson Square and noticed it...
I think it is best viewed up Eighth from the south. I loved it from then on in. Up close at street level it is an awesome sight that no picture in this thread has even come close to capturing. Real sleek..
Those that don't like it, cool and I understand.. NYTT is an acquired taste and enjoyed best by those (imo) with better taste.

[nygirl]

Nowhere near the quality of the last photos. Here is my attempt and contribution -

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/7253/p1010045lu8.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/8237/p1010017xe3.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/886/p1010018mx7.jpg

No, no it does not do the building justice but like the others have been saying; by leaps and bounds, better in person.

[meds]

elegant

9/10

[RON-E]

8/10

[type001]

7.5 - I think that this actually turned out better than the rendering. I thought it was just going to be another bland Piano design, but it came out good (Thankfully his boring design for Boston's new tallest fell through). The spire actually works here too (unlike the nearby BOA building).

[thomyorke26]

8 / 10

[McGrupp34]

another box, but the texture and appearance of the facade are perfect, which makes it really stand out, while at the same time appearing totally natural in its surroundings.

9/10

[*Jarrod]

BORING!!!!!!! 4/10

[Kawasaki_Kragujevac]

8.5/10

[kazetuner]

one of my favourites in NYC

[Geiselgesell]

I like it, it's something new and a good addition to the skyline. The facade looks good imo

8.5/10

[Miguel_Prat]

8/10

[MCC]

Wow, very classy box if you ask me. I had no idea NYC was churning out so many towers over 1000 feet, but I guess that's what happen when you don't follow this forum closely. 8.5/10

[stasiua]

8/10

[Rutger1991]

9/10

[systema magicum]

8/10
Interesting and elegant design. I like this new tower in New York!!
:dance:

[LMCA1990]

9/10

[Pastman]

7/10

[Malbo]

Great tower 9/10

[briker]

top looks unfinished!

[ieBryan]

Looks nice, and I like the surrounding area but I'm not too hot on those
panels sticking up from the roof.

7/10

[SacOnTheRise]

5.5 Just another glass box among many others.

[Pompey77]

6/10 really boring

[RafflesCity]

7.5/10

Its nice and soaring and simplistic, which is refreshing. Looks good in all that density it still manages to soar.

Reminds me of Toronto's tallest.

[Astralis]

11/10 :master:... I like the billboard seen from the street where it says New York Times - awesome :master:. Fantastic building with fantastic architecture. Unfortunately I don't have my pics of this building bc one idiot deleted them :bash: but I'll make another ones next time i go to NYC.

[snail456]

7/10

Great from afar but up close the cladding looks tacky.

[poshbakerloo]

8/10 i like shape and style...but i dnt like the colour