Monday, September 1, 2008

Stump Tower

After several years of bad residential buildings being thrown up across the Chicago skyline I was looking forward to something of significance being built. With the summer coming to a close Trump Tower is almost completed and I have to say the taller it has become the more disappointed I am with it as a piece of architecture and how it relates as a sculptural neighbor.

From a distance some of the materials have an pleasing aesthetic quality but the closer to the building you become the design starts to break down. The materials don't hold up and the overall design really lacks the elegance of the IBM building next door. Some of the sight lines are dramatic especially from Lake Shore Drive at the river but what we've ended up with is a sky blue Sears Tower with rounded edges and a squatier bottom. Maybe if it was in another location in the city it wouldn't be critiqued so critically and that space could of been reserved for something to compete with the buildings going up in Dubai or Asia.

Hopefully over time as other building go up around it Trump Tower will grow on me but until then I find it very uninspiring.

2 comments:

Nora said...

I agree. The Trump isn't living up to the hype. It doesn't stand out from a distance, but I do like the materials. It kinds of blends into the sky, which surprises me. I didn't think Trump wanted to blend into anything.

Jude said...

Okay, I have been trying for quite awhile to send this post...I'm not a total techno-Idiot,but my PC,or AOL is trying my patience,and making me feel very upset!!
After looking at the TRUMP Bldg. I'm disappointed also. We have such a beautiful sky line,and this adds nothing to our collective neighbors. Money does not ever equate taste....and this to me is just another expensive COMB-OVER.I would think you would want to take in all that is around you and just make it better as a whole....but that's just me....what do I know!!??