Today the City Council approved architect Daniel Libeskind's tower for 1340 South Figueroa in downtown, a 43-story tower that's being developed by CA Human Technologies, a joint venture of two Korean groups. Assuming this thing is actually built, how to feel about Libeskind and his so-called trademark gashes? Here's what City Councilwoman Jan Perry wrote in a letter of support for the project. "We are fortunate to have a unique and interesting tower proposed for the site by a world renowned architect. It will make a lasting contribution to the Downtown community." PDF of letter here. And as everyone learned in the Libeskind primer, this will be the New York-based architect's first Los Angeles building. Should he be invited back?
Via critic Hawthorne in the Los Angeles Times: "Architecturally, of course, there are lots of ways to make mega-projects successful along the street, including opening them up fully to the sidewalk and designing them to contain a diversity of retail outlets at ground level. Libeskind's scheme, which is not among his finest, tries hard to do this, although the effort is undermined by the slashing forms that cross its podium section.
These gashes are his formal trademark, but in this case they bring the massive scale of the tower down to the sidewalk level instead of helping to break it up."
Via Curbed reader jerjoz: "It may look like a child drew it. But I would still accept its addition to the skyline."
Via Curbed reader Guest: "It has Vanilla Ice's hair!" (comparison of Vanilla Ice's hair/DL's tower, scroll down)
Via Curbed reader Arts Dweller: "I like it. I hope it gets built."
· Rendering Reveal: Daniel Libeskind's Top Secret Downtown Tower [Curbed LA]
· Getting out the Welcome Mat for Libeskind [Curbed LA]
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