I declare that tonight I wrote the greatest paper of my life tonight. After reading Louis Sullivan’s “Kindergarten Chats” six times I finally mastered his content and got ‘er done.

Out of all the architects I’ve had to read, Sullivan is one of the easier ones to understand. It’s amazing how architects just love to hear themselves talk. Guys like Vitruvius and pretty much anyone else expand a sentence that should be seven words and seriously make it a whole paragraph.

Sullivan was definitley confident in his work and elaborated a lot but at the same time he was adressing something so important-the beginning of the American skyscraper.

After doing the paper I realize
1. How damn lucky we are to have a Louis Sullivan skyscraper…has to be one of the best ones in terms of design and function in the world
2. How crappy so many skyscrapers are. With no regard for society or even the people who use the buildings. Just slop something together and there you go-a skyscraper-enjoy yourself.
3. Buffalo has a lot of the just mentioned and in a lot of ways it makes the Guaranty building stand out despite the fact its like the 17th tallest building downtown.

World renown architect and dean of the school of architecture at Harvard, Toshiko Mori, gave a lecture on UB’s South Campus yesterday. The lecture moslty consisted of her previous works and principles regarding design.

Mori showed a lot of slides from her winning design of the Darwin Martin House Visitor’s Center. And let me tell you…it’s something else. Too many features to bring up but one that particularly stands out is there will be a hologram of the Larkin Administration Building coming from seemingly out of nowhere. There seems to be some good attention in the visitors center given to the Administration Building.

It’s great that Buffalo can add Toshiko Mori to the list of world famous architects that have left their imprint on our city. Kind of just adds to the amount of exciting, GOOD stuff that’s taking place to bring our city back.

Here’s an interesting piece on Mori and Wright from 2003

And i quote from WIVB…

“Issa said, ‘We have already acquired other land in the city center of Buffalo. We have already commissioned Canon Design to actually design a dramatic building. … It’s not far from the Statler. It will be very tall. It will be an iconic, symbolic building.’”

Omg. Could Buffalo make an addition to its skyline for the 1st time since 1970 (othert than the Key Towers)?!?!?!?!

Stay tuned. I’ll be all over this shiznit.

I’ve been occupied with some crazy personal stuff latley so I apologize for the infrequent updates as of late…I’m still distracted so I’ll give you all a little post.

Here is a picture of the Olympic Towers. One of my favorite buildings and an extremely underrated one. It blends in perfectly with all the other architectural gems around like the Hyatt on Genessee and the Electric Tower and Gold Dome nearby. Despite this, no one seems to know about it.
I originally looked for it in 2003 when I discovered there was more to Downtown than City Hall and the HSBC Arena. With my “Buffalo Place”map given to me at the info desk I went to the Convention Center to ask where it was. The man had no clue. I asked my cousin who had been working Downtown for seven years at that point and he had no clue either.
Turns out it was RIGHT next to the Convention Center where I originally asked for its location.
Anyways so I accidentally came accross it a month ago and returned recently to admire it. Seems like its a fairly upscale apartment/office building with a nice fitness center. A lot of people talk about how terrible the Convention Center is for Buffalo. Not only did it block off Genesee and not only is it ugly but it blocks off completely the Genesee St. entrance which is quite beautiful but unknown to nearly everyone.

So one day when you’re nearby the Financial district of Downton, stop by the Olympic Towers right next to the Convention Center. Buffalo architecture at its best…and slightly unknown (which I guess makes you cooler since its not loved by the mainstream).

It’s nice to be back, thats for sure. After a week in a region (DC area) with fast-paced growth and a rediculously strong economy-I had enough. So after an air-travel nightmare Saturday I had to end up taking the Greyhound back. On the way we went through Pittsburgh and while I was there I noticed something that every major to mid-major city has but we don’t…
Company signs on skyscrapers.
It sounds simple, and even pointless on the surface but I really think It would greatly enhance the appearance of the city.
Almost every skyscraper in Pittsburgh had the company’s name prominently displayed near the top of the structure. The closest we have to that is a painted-on logo on the HSBC Tower.

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The original Marine Midland building had a sign up top, the Liberty Mutual did as well. I think it helped the appearance of downtown.
To be honest I think the only two buildings that should really have it would be the HSBC Tower and the M&T Building built in the 60’s.
Imagine seeing “HSBC Bank” or “M&T Bank” illuminated for all to see as they pass through the city. Sometimes its the little things that can really go a long way in the appearance of the city…just look at the Shea’s theatre sign-really adds a bit of hutspah to the silent downtown we call our own.

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PS…I’m not sure if it was the Greyhound route or what but being on the Skyway and seeing all the beautiful buildings we have to offer makes me so thankful I’m from Buffalo and not any of the towns between Buffalo and Baltimore. Pittsburgh’s financial district is beautiful but it lacks that special character that Buffalo has and always will have.

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HO_Oats, originally uploaded by believeinbflo.

According to the Buffalo News, the Seneca Nation will tear down the historic H-O Oats Grain Elevator to meet their December 9th constuction deadline. Depending on how negotiations go with the NFTA, this former elevator will either be a parking garage, or the actual casino. I’m sure the people who live in the new residental units nearby absolutley looooove this decision by the Seneca Nation, better yet, that they do it without giving the public any say.