Ghost of Vetruvius
Someone’s mad as hell about the crappy architecture on Fourth Avenue and they’re not going to take it! Remember the craptactular rental building that went up at 126 4th Avenue a couple of years ago? Someone with the moniker “The Ghost of Vitruvius” posted the above screed on the side of the building recently, and…
Someone’s mad as hell about the crappy architecture on Fourth Avenue and they’re not going to take it! Remember the craptactular rental building that went up at 126 4th Avenue a couple of years ago? Someone with the moniker “The Ghost of Vitruvius” posted the above screed on the side of the building recently, and a tipster sent it in over the weekend. The text says “ARCHITECT: Is this really the best you can do? This building is UGLY, and therefore IRRESPONSIBLE” and a logo in the corner reads “NYC Building Aesthetics.” Has anyone spotted more of these around town? GMAP
I think it’s a great sign; bravo. Years ago, when a craptacular condo went up along Prospect Park SW @ Windsor, someone scrawled on the plywood construction fence, WE NEED A BETTER CLASS OF ARCHITECT. It has become a favorite phrase of ours as we tool around town…
Given the harsh reality of trying to build anything here, it is unsurprising to see hideous buildings like this one. While there is no doubt that the architect could do more with less, I’d lay more of the blame for this sorry state of affairs at the feet of building owners (who clearly are bottom-line, cost per square foot driven developer types, spared every possible expense in their quest to build for less.) I wouldn’t leave out the Department of Buildings either. Plan examiners are so dense and so scared to approve work that your garden variety cheap developer won’t try anything unusual. Then there is the very idea of the upzoning on 4th Avenue. Did the City Planning Commission really think that builders today would be turning out beautiful vernacular apartment buildings like those found on the Grand Concourse? As for the “ghost” character – my suggestion is to get out a little bit more.
A wise man once said – you live inside a building, not outside it.
That being said, I don’t care if its ugly, but I do care when a developer puts curb cuts, ventilation grates, and otherwises destroys any hope of creating a vibrant street life on 4th Avenue.
Isn’t beauty in the eye of the beholder? There are Frank Gehry buildings which people think are masterpieces, that I loath; there are Picasso’s which I love and others think are crappy. We should all muster a little more compassion and perhaps learn to fight the right causes versus those that are useless. Remember all of the dead in Haiti and the oil spill in the Gulf….Just saying.
This person’s credibility is greatly diminished because of their use of Papyrus in this notice.
“it’s fine if they want to say the building is ugly, but irresponsible? huh?”
No, it’s not fine. The building has been finshed for what, 2 years now? Presumably there are already people living in it. What does the accomplish? Nothing.
Awesome!
it’s fine if they want to say the building is ugly, but irresponsible? huh?
*rob*
“The Ghost of Vitruvius”
Next time please also leave a note of all your spectacular accomplishments (you can exclude leaving retarded notices on the sides of building, we already know that)