Quote:
Originally Posted by Steely Dan
very tall projects in chicago are primarily built for vanity, not sound economic principle. our land, even in core areas, simply ain't THAT valuable.
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Even in the 19th century, the
height of Chicago’s skyscrapers was not as notable as their city block-sized footprints.
For people back then, it was as if they went to NYC, saw 432 Park Avenue, and said, “The height is impressive, but the proportions are off.” Then they came to Chicago, saw NEMA, and said, “Wow, that looks enormous despite being shorter.”
“As the elephant (or rather megatherium) to the giraffe, so is the colossal business block of Chicago to the sky-scraper of New York. There is a proportion and dignity in the mammoth buildings of Chicago which is lacking in most of those which form the jagged skyline of Manhattan Island. For one reason or another-no doubt some difference in the system of land tenure is at the root of the matter-the Chicago architect has usually a larger plot of ground to operate on than his New York colleague, and can consequently give his building breadth and depth as well as height.”
William Archer,
America To-Day, London: William Heinemann, 1900