Comments on: Monolab’s High Rise Tower

By: Victor Vroegindeweij

Victor Vroegindeweij — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:42:52 +0000

Unparalleled ugliness.

By: Terry Glenn Phipps

Terry Glenn Phipps — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:44:22 +0000

@Josh & Kevin

It was my privilege to have an explanation of the form of 30 St Mary Axe from Robin Partington, who credits the form mostly to the planning process. The structure was engineered to maximize column free interior spaces. Natural ventilation (a feature that Swiss Re, tenants in the building since its sale, unfortunately don’t use) came about as the result of rotating the floor plates and creating offsets in the vertical atria that are diffused throughout the structure.

The “gherkin” is an entirely logical building in the tradition of the greatest of its predecessors.

As for the proposed Rotterdam tower, I would have to say this is one of the more useless exercises I have ever seen. After trying very hard to find something to like, all I can manage to come up with is that it recalls both a petroleum refinery and the gantry structure of the Saturn V. A light show could be achieved without the Rube Goldberg elevator arrangement which can be called silly out of charity.

The best thing about this building is the infinitesimal probability that it will ever be built.

Terry Glenn Phipps

By: Sofie

Sofie — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:38:28 +0000

I’ve been in Rotterdam several times, and I don’t think such a high building is appropriate there. ‘Wanting to stand out’ is not a good reason to build this -or anything (although it can be a plus in some situations). Adding the complex elevatorsystem without enough reasons doesn’t make it any better.
This tower just doesn’t feel right. Designing something suitable is already difficult enough!

By: The Developer

The Developer — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:41:27 +0000

HAHAHAHAHAHA ! I laugh in the face of your naivety.

By: Allan L

Allan L — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:44:24 +0000

it seems that they want to create a skin with these elevators, but they are unuseful in the sense that there is too much of them, this would only create chaos and waste of energy.

By: Frederick

Frederick — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:28:05 +0000

“primitive and of mediocre quality” … and utterly pointless!!!

By: mat archi

mat archi — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:47:02 +0000

Maybe they smoked too much join’s!!!!!

It’s impossible to building an High rise building of 450m in rotterdam !!! the ground looks likes a fresh goat cheese
I had participate in the high rise workshop at Delft University
We had to design an High Rise of 250 meters and the engineers who made lectures (which was one of the burj Dubaï) said us it was impossible. the only city where you can build such Building in Randstad Holland is Utrech ….

they lose their time

By: Eco Architecture: Dutch architecture firm designs sustainable high-rise for Rotterdam | Green Cleaning Ideas

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:05:34 +0000

[...] Via: ArchDaily/DesignBoom [...]

By: Partick Bateman

Partick Bateman — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:08:38 +0000

when does it take off?

By: Lana

Lana — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:17:28 +0000

it is very under developed, seems likes the first sketch model of an idea that can develope much much further… The pieces of the building do not seem to relate at all…