Rude observation on 'world's biggest aluminum siding job'

[Wayne Johnson]

The Yamasaki designed WTC complex epitomizes the desire by big business to 
exploit every loophole in local planning to maximize lease space.  NYC 
planning went along, no doubt because of the extraordinary mega-bucks being 
spent.  The buildings were horrid, scale-less and inhuman.  Which didn't 
particularly make them different from about 10,000 other large building 
built at the same time.  Look around your local city for your local skyline 
desecration.  Its all about money.  Aesthetics and taste and...gasp...human 
comfort are the last things on the list.  The so-called plaza in front was a 
cold place to be, even on sunny days, absolutely devoid of human 
opportunity.  Vendor kiosks, anything would have helped.  I really disliked 
it.  And, yes, for some there are now more "sunshine days" in lower 
Manhatten.  Hell of a way to accomplish this however.

Overall there has been, in my opinion, a rather dismal track record set by 
architects, engineers and planners when it comes to fighting off Big Time 
Developers.  As an example of how a good building can work, look uptown at 
the, now old, Seagram Building.  And there are others, much more "user" and 
"urban space" friendly.  But it takes balls and brains to fight past the 
greed that accompanies projects of this size.  No one gives a shit about 
what happens to the environment, just make as much money as you can. 
Afterall, you don't actually have to "live there".

I quite agree that the loss of the Chrysler building would have been a sin 
of a higher order.

wayne (exhominus architextus) johnson