NEW YORK | Central Park Tower (Nordstrom)| 1,550 FT | 131 FLOORS

[NYguy]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkFVQd3F...-by=smartymarc

[NYguy]

Xzeyvion Aryee Photography

[patriotizzy]

Originally Posted by NYguy

That's wrong. The Midtown skyline is a massive sea of boxes, not some mid-sized skyline. The One Vanderbilt spire will be fine - we think - for the corner it occupies.
But who knows what massive box Chase is going to build on their site. It could easily overwhelm One Vanderbilt, not to mention the future tall towers in that area the are coming.

The New York City skyline became famous the world over for the dramatic punctuation marks that claimed the pinnacle of the skyline as one world's tallest tower gave way to the next.
It's why some people still moan about the spires of 3 WTC being removed, or the sharp, cutting form of 2 WTC being ditched.

The undramatic, flat roofed towers are fine (see 432 Park) for where they are, but as the tallest in Midtown - even taller than the antenna of the ESB and spire of One Vanderbilt,
this tower needs to crown the skyline as is fitting, even if the spire as it was earlier designed could be worked better.








http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...91095&page=253

Eloquently worded. Thanks for your thought on this subject.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by patriotizzy

Eloquently worded. Thanks for your thought on this subject.

We all have our thoughs on it. I didn't like the spire as designed, but seeing how this building works without it, it needs that punctuation at the top. When a building rises that high, you expect it would end in something more than a whimper.

[1Boston]

Hmm I wish this building wasn't going up...at least not in that location, or with that design. It throws off the grandeur of the centrality and importance of 111w57 along central park (even if its not perfectly centered).

[pianowizard]

Looking at this photo that NYguy posted a few days ago, I must say I would rather not see many more spires in NYC. The absurdly excessive spires of B of A, NYTimes, and 4 Times Sq have already made NYC look like a city whose skyscrapers love to cheat. On the other hand, a fat lit spire like the "lantern" atop Philadelphia's Comcast Innovation & Tech Ctr might be acceptable.

Originally Posted by NYguy

[TK2001]

Originally Posted by pianowizard

Looking at this photo that NYguy posted a few days ago, I must say I would rather not see many more spires in NYC. The absurdly excessive spires of B of A, NYTimes, and 4 Times Sq have already made NYC look like a city whose skyscrapers love to cheat. On the other hand, a fat lit spire like the "lantern" atop Philadelphia's Comcast Innovation & Tech Ctr might be acceptable.

425 Park is rising right now, and it has 3 of those "lanterns" at the top. Norman Foster designed both CTC and 425

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by pianowizard

Looking at this photo that NYguy posted a few days ago, I must say I would rather not see many more spires in NYC. The absurdly excessive spires of B of A, NYTimes, and 4 Times Sq have already made NYC look like a city whose skyscrapers love to cheat. On the other hand, a fat lit spire like the "lantern" atop Philadelphia's Comcast Innovation & Tech Ctr might be acceptable.

Eh, nothing wrong with spires. If anything, the city needs more. Midtown is quite blocky and some of the spires like NY Times tower for example are just silly.

If anything, what is needed are not spires in the sense of a tall architectural, thin element, but more crowns similar in style to ESB or Chrysler. Towers that don't have to rely on long rods, but crowns that are the spires.



Exhibit A...


Credit: Tectonic

[NYguy]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkHIGaeH...y=nycvideoduck

[gramsjdg]

Honestly, I'd even be happy with four short ~100' spires on each corner of the parapet like 175 Greenwich originally had.

All this tower needs is a measly 266' spire and it will surpass the CN Tower as the tallest free-standing structure in the western hemisphere. (although it is still 15' shorter in terms of highest occupied floor as the CN Tower (Space Deck/Sky Pod)

[tjr101]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Eh, nothing wrong with spires. If anything, the city needs more. Midtown is quite blocky and some of the spires like NY Times tower for example are just silly.

If anything, what is needed are not spires in the sense of a tall architectural, thin element, but more crowns similar in style to ESB or Chrysler. Towers that don't have to rely on long rods, but crowns that are the spires.



Exhibit A...


Credit: Tectonic

You nailed it. I think this is why I'm not too excited to see any more "spires" on the skyline. The NYTimes Building and B of A make a mockery of this. The roof tops of these buildings are not even near supertall heights yet they have these elongated poles they call spires which are included in the overall height. It kind of makes the skyline look like a pin cushion from afar.

We need more spires in the vain of the ESB, Chrysler and of course my soon to be favorite One Vandy.

[TechTalkGuy]

Ahhhh, very inspiring.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by gramsjdg

Honestly, I'd even be happy with four short ~100' spires on each corner of the parapet like 175 Greenwich originally had.

I'd take an antenna at this point. Even 432 Park could use one.

Originally Posted by chris08876

If anything, what is needed are not spires in the sense of a tall architectural, thin element, but more crowns similar in style to ESB or Chrysler. Towers that don't have to rely on long rods, but crowns that are the spires.

Those are one and the same in terms of crowning the skyline. The city could use more of both, and not more flat roofed towers. The New York everyone knows and loves is not defined by a flat roof. Buildings like Chrysler, and the Empire State are the majestic towers that define the skyline. It is a massive skyline, and can support more, and it will never get old. Ask a child to draw a skyline, and they will likely top if with some form of spire or crown, not a dull, flat-roofed box. I'm a fan of the box, but not crowning our majestic skyline.



https://www.instagram.com/p/BkWeIJ_n...by=theromanfox





https://www.instagram.com/p/BkSd1FDH...-by=cityrealty





https://www.instagram.com/p/BkV7-A_g...y=mchlanglo793





https://www.instagram.com/p/BkWSOb-F...y=thatmikekwan

[pianowizard]

Originally Posted by NYguy

Those are one and the same in terms of crowning the skyline. The city could use more of both, and not more flat roofed towers. The New York everyone knows and loves is not defined by a flat roof. Buildings like Chrysler, and the Empire State are the majestic towers that define the skyline. It is a massive skyline, and can support more, and it will never get old. Ask a child to draw a skyline, and they will likely top if with some form of spire or crown, not a dull, flat-roofed box. I'm a fan of the box, but not crowning our majestic skyline.

I see your point, but adding a skinny spire to 432 Park or CPT is not a good solution IMO. I would rather have supertalls with these types of pinnacle:

Shanghai Tower (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=71815)

G Land Super Tower (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=104213)

Ping An International Finance Centre (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=47866)

Lotte World Tower (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=84323)

Tianjin CTF Finance Centre (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=88473)

Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=39970)

[Barney Greengrass]

From the far West Side:

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by pianowizard

I see your point, but adding a skinny spire to 432 Park or CPT is not a good solution IMO.

You're wasting time and effort showing me buildings in other cities that aren't New York. This tower is rising on the New York skyline. A skinny spire is the same as a skinny antenna.
And btw, the spire that was designed for this one was more complex than that. This tower as it is designed needs it's spire. They aren't going to redesign the entire top of the building.

As far as this skyline goes, there's a reason people don't want buildings as tall to rise near the ESB - it's the defining element of the skyline, that spire (and even more so) that antenna
have been a defining peak that skylines around the world have emulated. Yet, we are in one of the largest, and definitely the most skyline altering building boom this city has ever had.
How many spires are coming out of it?


mounasaad





Anyway, this tower is rising again.


https://www.instagram.com/p/Bkc_7q1B...halladventures

Everybody back to work! Central Park Tower must rise!

[artspook]

OMG, that ghosted skyline sketch of CPSo. buildings . .
which included a profile of CPT, with the shagadelic spire . .
(posted Jun 18 by NYguy) . . what an immensely powerful silhouette . .
that image painfully shows the world-class icon we could've had . . .

(It's in the sketch with a rectangular golden-highline . .
a 15 story walkway across lower Central Park,
that then wraps behind towers outlining the Park's bottom . .
I could give a rip about that pipe-dream)

I care about, the easily attainable excellence that should happen
with NYC's new tallest . . In that illustration, CPT . .
as a simple boring, soaring vertical box . . transforms itself,
the skyline, and its city, through its rising asymmetrical corner spire . .
which is merely a simple, offbeat, nicely proportioned configuration . .
as far as spires go . . . But, at this height, in this city, at this time, . .
that simple deco-ish configuration becomes electrifying !!! . .
CPT would be so much more than just the sum these parts . .
the big dumb building + the "pretty-ok" spire, together, magically become
a real 21st Century symbol . . thrilling urban drama . . the satisfying, resonant
high note, exactly where everybody anticipates it should be . .
This amazing landmark, would not just be about a petty fight over tall numbers
. . but about a spine-tingling American Majesty, mightily expressed . .
Such an opportunity to lose . . Where's the greatness ? . .
a spire-less CPT, as architecture, is boring, visually unfinished, & pathetic . .
Believe me, if the world doesn't see that preeminent iconic silhouette
here in NYC, we'll see it built elsewhere . . its too good to waste . .

Dubai gets Adrian Smith's world's tallest, art-deco masterpiece - Burj Khalifa
NYC gets Adrian Smith's boring, wimpy glass-box, for the Chinese - CPT
. . CPT would be grander & more American, if Gary Barnett focused more of his
consideration on the city & country in which he is building, and its citizens . .
as much as he's considering his foreign buyers . .
building tallest in Our Great Big Town, comes with a proud responsibility . .

[tjr101]

Seeing that pic I just realized the residents of this building will have a direct view of the New Years ball drop!

[aquablue]

Originally Posted by pianowizard

I see your point, but adding a skinny spire to 432 Park or CPT is not a good solution IMO. I would rather have supertalls with these types of pinnacle:

Shanghai Tower (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=71815)

G Land Super Tower (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=104213)

Ping An International Finance Centre (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=47866)

Lotte World Tower (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=84323)

Tianjin CTF Finance Centre (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=88473)

Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre (http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=39970)

BINGO!

NY should forget spires, and focus on great rooflines like these Chinese towers. Spires are very last century. Keep up with the times. CPT should have had a more interesting shape, period!!

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by aquablue

BINGO!

NY should forget spires, and focus on great rooflines like these Chinese towers. Spires are very last century. Keep up with the times. CPT should have had a more interesting shape, period!!

Speaking generally, Chinese skylines are hideous, tacky and are already dating poorly. Outside of the Middle East, can't think of a worse template for NYC.

Not sure what spires have to do with anything, though. Spires are actually more common in the newer developing world skylines than in the established first world.

And the discussion of building envelope is silly and reveals ignorance of NYC building code, which is based on the grid and streetwalls, in contrast to the developing world skylines where the tower is distinct from the urban context. This is why Pudong feels more like a vertical suburb than a Chinese Manhattan.