The Tallest Kind on the Block

In a skyline, sometimes big things come in big packages.

When examining the skyline of Houston, Texas there are multiple different clusters from which one can distinctively define location. From the Williams Tower of the Galleria area, to the Hermann Tower of the Medical Center, The Chase Tower in the middle of the skyline district in downtown Houston creates a dark luminous figure that seems to protect the rest of the city center from opposing skyline cluster competition.

The Chase Tower stands one-thousand and one feet tall, houses seventy-five office space floors, and is marked for the late seventies-early eighties contemporary style. This style is simple and shapely. Instead of the tower being a simple square plan and a rectangular prism shape, there is a major tapered side, which creates dimension due to the buildings simplicity. One must also note the other smaller tapered corners (think of cutting the crust off of bread), which is reminiscent to the late World Trade Center Towers in New York, New York.

With simple box glass windows, and a grey stone facade, I.M. Pei implemented a salient break in the cities skyline, that for the past twenty years has marked the city of Houstons' identity.

Casablanca

In the Museum District of Houston, Texas, on exhibit behind wrought iron gates, lies an architectural gem.

The house seems to have been flown in from Cannes, and embodies the luxurious relaxed spirit of the French Riviera. The stark white facade and a light stained concrete acts as a contrast to the green lawn and oak canopies of the property.

Emphasizing symmetry and simplicity as a dogma: Note the french shuttered doors on the front-entrance, a true to Riviera style touch. The Grecian frieze, above the home, creates a strong presence that would have been compromised by a regular pitched roof. Contemporary lines, and a two on three window presence gives a strong and elevating view, which separates the living quarters below, from the resting spaces above.

This abode takes the mind on an inquisitive journey. Making one wonder...as if to be in a museum trying to understand the thought process of an artist while creating a piece of art, in this case the artist would be an architect.

-Simplicity, Style, and Symmetry,...Casablanca.