The Second ugliest building in New York

[Chato]

A matter of taste of course. But that's my opinion. The actual ugliest building is called "Great Blue," and is on Delancy Street near the Williamsburg Bridge.

This building I've photographed is the new Cooper Union, located on East Seventh and Cooper Square (right where the Bowery turns into Third Ave...

Mind you, this school contains an Architecture School...



Dave

[bhammitt]

This is one of the most unique buildings I think I have ever seen! You certainly have an abundance of photo ops there in the city, nice work Dave!!!!

Bob

[Chato]

Originally Posted by bhammitt

This is one of the most unique buildings I think I have ever seen! You certainly have an abundance of photo ops there in the city, nice work Dave!!!!

Bob

I should post a picture of the other side, which in some respects is worse.

On the Seventh Street side, there's an awning made of glass and steel, which I thought was a temporary structure. Turns out this was part of the "plan."

This building looks like a failed erector set where some kid came by and gouged out chunks of his creation...

I've talked to the architect. He's certainly impressed with himself, and just loves his creation. Needless to say, amongst its other faults, it does not in any way blend into the neighborhood.

It's supposed to be a "Green" building, and the exterior is divided into sections that are supposed to open and shut according to the temperature. I do believe that the motors have broken. Of course, the building is all of seven months old, so naturally considering the it's "ancient nature" we can expect little flaws like this...

Even so, even so, Great Blue has a very clear lead in the ugly department

Dave

[shoturtle]

Chato,

So what is you opinion the ugliest building in NYC is, the blue on deleancy is pretty bad, and the building on 18 and the west side hwy are pretty bad.

But I totally agree this building is pretty bad.

[Chato]

Originally Posted by shoturtle

Chato,

So what is you opinion the ugliest building in NYC is, the blue on deleancy is pretty bad, and the building on 18 and the west side hwy are pretty bad.

But I totally agree this building is pretty bad.

Whenever I look at Great Blue, I picture the architects sitting around at a meeting and saying things like, "Joe, I'm telling ya, we haven't gone ugly enbough. Any suggestions?"

"Yeah, I got an idea, how about we mix in a bunch of irregular color plates, just to throw the eyes of passerbys off."

That's good man, I have some other ideas as well and..."

They simply left no stone unturned to put that structure up.

Dave

[shoturtle]

Yup, that was what I was thinking every time I pass it. Beside having the funky bulge in the middle of the building also.

[Torgny]

Originally Posted by Chato

A matter of taste of course. But that's my opinion. The actual ugliest building is called "Great Blue," and is on Delancy Street near the Williamsburg Bridge.

This building I've photographed is the new Cooper Union, located on East Seventh and Cooper Square (right where the Bowery turns into Third Ave...

Mind you, this school contains an Architecture School...

Dave

Dave,

And the ugliest - if you have the possibility some time .... Goood catch, this photo

Personally I think it's quite nice

Have you seen the architecture of Antoni Gaudi?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Gaud%C3%AD

Torgny

[Hards80]

it looks like the architecture school is literally trying to bust out of this place. wow, that is pretty hideous.

[shoturtle]

The New Cooper Union Architecture School Building is god awful ugly. But it is a great school.

And their old building right across the street is actually very pleasant building from the 1800's. This building is a complete departure from that one.

[Chato]

Originally Posted by shoturtle

The New Cooper Union Architecture School Building is god awful ugly. But it is a great school.

And their old building right across the street is actually very pleasant building from the 1800's. This building is a complete departure from that one.

Cooper Union has totally abandoned the vision of Peter Cooper it's founder. He intended a school that served working people too poor to attend a regular school, and primarily a night school, so that they could get a top notch Free education.

They have turned the night school into one of those "Continuing Education" schools, and courses are market rate. Meanwhile, the Day School now recruits from all over the country, and less than half the students come from NYC. Many of the students (and their nice kids) come from wealthy backgrounds.

To add injury to insult, the unique tax provisions that allow Cooper to not pay taxes on their commercial property are still in place, so the NYC taxpayer is subsidzing the education of wealthy kids from Florida, Texas, etc, etc.

They have a lot of political pull.

BTW - They are going to be tearing down the Engeniering School on Astor Place and putting up a commerical building in which by some strange coincidence, the companies owned by the Cooper Union Board will be moving in. They want to skim off the top of the graduating class to work for these same companies.

Feh!

Dave