Dutch architects apologize for 9/11 blast look-alike design

[Thump553]

I saw the World Trade Center plenty of times in person. Maybe you'll consider me a heretic, but I thought they were ugly and utilitarian, distinguished only by their size. They definately looked like ugly ducks compared to jewels like the Empire State and the Chrysler buildings.

That said, I would expect just about any twin towers design would resemble the WTC. Should the entire world never build a twin towers again?

 

[OutHouse]

I think it looks pretty bad ass:

if 911 did not happen i would agree with you.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I appreciate the pics of the above and below angles - the angle from above is certainly interesting.

I obviously have no way of knowing what the architects' intent was here, but I remain at a loss to understand why something like this would be green-lit, simply because the design WILL evoke negative memories in 9/11 in some reasonable people. I simply don't see how an architectural team could have spent months designing this without someone saying, "hey, you know what . . . " You don't see many modern office parks that vaguely, but innocently, resemble swastikas either.

As werepossum wrote, I don't know that I would have seen the resemblance had i not first seen the picture in the context of an article about the controversy, but it's hard to unsee it once seen. I could cut them a little more slack if the design were particularly beautiful, but in fact it's just kind of strange - two blocky, ugly towers joined by a weird, eccentrically-shaped lump. I gather the "cloud" is intentionally kind of 8-bit looking, but that in turn interferes with seeing it as a cloud rather than an amorphous, blocky shape.

 

[werepossum]

I was talking about the architect.

Ah, mea culpa.

 

[dank69]

I appreciate the pics of the above and below angles - the angle from above is certainly interesting.

I obviously have no way of knowing what the architects' intent was here, but I remain at a loss to understand why something like this would be green-lit, simply because the design WILL evoke negative memories in 9/11 in some reasonable people. I simply don't see how an architectural team could have spent months designing this without someone saying, "hey, you know what . . . " You don't see many modern office parks that vaguely, but innocently, resemble swastikas either.

As werepossum wrote, I don't know that I would have seen the resemblance had i not first seen the picture in the context of an article about the controversy, but it's hard to unsee it once seen. I could cut them a little more slack if the design were particularly beautiful, but in fact it's just kind of strange - two blocky, ugly towers joined by a weird, eccentrically-shaped lump. I gather the "cloud" is intentionally kind of 8-bit looking, but that in turn interferes with seeing it as a cloud rather than an amorphous, blocky shape.

I'm no art major, but I think it's an impressionist thing.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I saw the World Trade Center plenty of times in person. Maybe you'll consider me a heretic, but I thought they were ugly and utilitarian, distinguished only by their size. They definately looked like ugly ducks compared to jewels like the Empire State and the Chrysler buildings.

That said, I would expect just about any twin towers design would resemble the WTC. Should the entire world never build a twin towers again?

I don't disagree that the WTC was not a particularly beautiful building complex, but since that's the case, why start with such WTC-like towers for your innovative "cloud" design"

I don't have a problem with someone building twin towers, but I kind of do have a problem with a building that resembles the WTC, mid-collapse.

I really don't have a hair trigger on this topic. I thought, for example, the hysteria about the mosque in lower Manhattan was silly. I just find this mystifying in its insensitivity. It's either a deliberate FU to the United States or it's just sloppy and poorly thought out, but in either case it doesn't inspire great confidence in the architects.

 

[monovillage]

There's still people that won't buy a Honda, Toyota or Nissan because of Pearl Harbor. I don't care if it's a nose thumb to the U.S. as long as we're willing and able to blow the hell out of anyone and anything that screws with us i'm pretty satisfied.

 

[Whiskey16]

Time to be overtly rational and blunt:

That said, I would expect just about any twin towers design would resemble the WTC. Should the entire world never build a twin towers again?

Yes, because above all, opinion (reasonable or not) from within the USA trumps that of others.

The memos are clear... How dare one ever present any perceived smidgen of insensitivity to a Yank:

I remain at a loss to understand why something like this would be green-lit, simply because the design WILL evoke negative memories in 9/11 in some reasonable people.
..
I just find this mystifying in its insensitivity. It's either a deliberate FU to the United States or it's just sloppy and poorly thought out...

Time to be frank, it's time that some introspective, egoist loons move on and stop seeing images of a Messiah or demon in toast.

Dellusions are to be one's own business and not foolishly tossed upon the globe.

For a tall building, the design is unique and quite refreshing, and a nice nod to the urban designs of Moshe Safdie [edit to contribute some architectural design history]. It has nothing to do with past events in New York City, zero rational reference to them, and should never be condemned due to a few myopic, self-centred mourners.

All the empathetic pity may be warranted to those who feel loss but it's unfortunate to see so many in this thread perpetuate an hyperbolic insanity.

 

[dank69]

Time to be overtly rational and blunt:Yes, because above all, opinion (reasonable or not) from within the USA trumps that of others.

The memos are clear... How dare one ever present any perceived smidgen of insensitivity to a Yank:
Time to be frank, it's time that some introspective, egoist loons move on and stop seeing images of a Messiah or demon in toast.

Dellusions are to be one's own business and not foolishly tossed upon the globe.

For a tall building, the design is unique and quite refreshing, and a nice nod to the urban designs of Moshe Safdie [edit to contribute some architectural design history]. It has nothing to do with past events in New York City, zero rational reference to them, and should never be condemned due to a few myopic, self-centred mourners.

All the empathetic pity may be warranted to those who feel loss but it's unfortunate to see so many in this thread perpetuate an hyperbolic insanity.

Then why did the architects apologize?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Time to be frank, it's time that some introspective, egoist loons move on and stop seeing images of a Messiah or demon in toast.

Dellusions are to be one's own business and not foolishly tossed upon the globe.

The design is unique and quite refreshing. It has nothing to do with past events in New York City, zero rational reference to them, and should never be condemned due to a few myopic, self-centred mourners.

All the empathetic pity may be warranted to those who feel loss but it's unfortunate to see so many in this thread perpetuate a hyperbolic insanity.

Your stilted, pedantic tone is a poor match for your childlike spelling, and both things make your post a little difficult to parse.

I don't see this as a "Yanks"-vs-rational-people issue. I just find it beguiling that a major architectural firm would design a huge office structure like this without taking into account that it would be seen as evocative of 9/11.

I also don't see this as in any way similar to wackos who see the Virgin Mary in their toast. Your post implies that there are really only a few ways to design a building (or that, like toast, there is intrinsically a certain amount of randomness to the design process), so it's inevitable that some percentage of new office buildings will look at least somewhat like the collapsing WTC. Obviously this isn't true.

I am not saying they can't design a building this way, or that the developers should be barred from building it. I am saying that I find it bizarre that they would choose to.

 

[Whiskey16]

Then why did the architects apologize?

The expressed explanation and apology supported all that I wrote:

Designer MVRDV said it had not intended to create an image resembling the attacks, and it did not see the resemblance during the design process.

"We sincerely apologize to anyone whose feelings we have hurt. It was not our intention," the company said on its website.

Empathy to the those expressing an irrational reaction due to a striking feeling of loss, and more to a point, that of business public relations. A company or individual does not wish to harm potential sales in specific markets.

Your stilted, pedantic tone is a poor match for your childlike spelling, and both things make your post a little difficult to parse.

I emphatically apologise for addition of an extra 'l' to the word of delusion, and recognise that my unintended presentation so strikingly offended your sensibilities to the point to make it a new tangent for discussion.

Thank you very much, Don Vito Corleone, for your unintended anology.....Regardless of how unreasonable a complaint may be, some feel that their angst must be made loud and wide for all to be sympathetic of their concern.

 

[Munky]

Just another example of politically-correct sensitivity dogma, and the resulting stupidity that ensues. Next up, McDonalds apologizes for making you fat.

 

[Jaepheth]

My first thought was "That Minecraft player needs to plan their structures beforehand."

 

[lord_emperor]

That said, I would expect just about any twin towers design would resemble the WTC. Should the entire world never build a twin towers again?

Some things are just ruined by history, like Hitler's moustache.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Interesting design. Pity that some people expect American sensitivities to apply to the entire world.

Looks nothing like the 9/11 attack by the way.

 

[sygyzy]

Dutch architects for a South Korean apartment building. Yeah, these people are really trying to mock the 9-11 disaster which occurred in New York City, USA. Get over it people.

 

[dmcowen674]

I don't have a problem with the design.

I'm sure just one of many reminders how the U.S. lost

 

[monovillage]

I'm sure just one of many reminders how the U.S. lost

lost what?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

lost what?

I would guess he means the War on Terror, but with Dave one never knows.

 

[Thump553]

Some things are just ruined by history, like Hitler's moustache.

Fortunately for him, Charlie Chaplin came first.

 

[Fenixgoon]

i dont know about you guys, but i saw the nazi eagle thing before i thought of the twin towers blowing up.

 

[monovillage]

I would guess he means the War on Terror, but with Dave one never knows.

Thanks, i was thinking "lost their marbles" or "lost a really good recipe" (don't you folks hate doing that?) or "lost their minds" or maybe "lost the World Cup".

 

[werepossum]

My first thought was "That Minecraft player needs to plan their structures beforehand."

 

[DucatiMonster696]

I foresee a nice Onion article based on this news item.


"German firm apologizes for Swastika like building design."

 

[JS80]

They should design a building that looks like Japanese soldiers ass raping Korean comfort women.