Best downtown modern architecture

[CaseyCornett]

I have traveled to over 20 countries and only missing Utah and Hawaii as states to visit here in the US...that being said, I have never seen a downtown with as fascinating of modern architecture than Melbourne, Australia. I recently visited it and always love walking around all the downtowns I visit but this kept me awe the entire time.

I took lots of video and photos if you want to check them out yourself:

YouTube - Urban skyline shots of Melbourne, Australia'a incredible modern architecture
YouTube - Urban skyline shots of Melbourne, Australia'a incredible modern architecture
YouTube - Urban skyline shots of Melbourne, Australia'a incredible modern architecture
YouTube - Walking to the Melbourne Cricket Grounds in Melbourne, Australia

Yes, a rooftop hanging pool in downtown Melbourne on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
IMG_1118 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
IMG_1120 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
IMG_1160 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
100_0842 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Anyone else have some favorite modern downtown architecture cities?

[Richard at Remax]

Eureka Tower is one of my favorite buildings

[mheaton76]

Hey Casey - Cool photos and vids! I need to put Melbourne on my to do list at some point. I think Toronto is a good place to look increasingly for cool, modern designs.

Check this out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48902110@N02/4482075606/

I snapped this photo in September. It's the front fascade of the Art Gallery Ontario. It's actually in the shape of a canoe. And just inside on the northern canopy, there's an exceptionally cool exhibition area with exposed wood beams, tons of glass and light - it's a nice touch.

And...I know not everyone would agree, but I have to say LA. Unfortunately, it's so sprawling that so much of their notable architecture seems to get drowned out by the sheer enormity of the city. I snapped this last May in Venice Beach. I could totally live in a space like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48902110@N02/4482093830/

**Just noticed I couldn't paste these flickr photos in, so shared the link to the page instead.

[proud2Bsooner]

I think it's all a matter of taste, but the "old" way to me is more appealing. Most of the new modern designs just look like Lego creations to me, just glass and steel. The surge of their construction leaves them all looking the same, but a little different. Kind of like perfume shopping for an hour. Like I said, a matter of taste.

Thirty years ago when I was a boy I could name the top 50 skylines from pictures. I was a city, city skyline, and skyscraper buff. I was in love with all the modern designs, like in Dallas. But give me an old building these days. They are iconic and irreplaceable.

Dallas, by the way, is pretty darn interesting.

[nwnormanok]

I agree with the above poster as to the "Lego"-like creations that seem to be the norm these days. I have real concerns over how many of these structures will age, from an aesthetic standpoint.

Now, while I have always been fascinated by high-rise architecture, I am about as novice as they come as far as my knowledge of construction, costs of construction, etc. So I would love to hear some feedback from people more knowledgeable than I as far as my observations/questions:

Is it that much more costly or difficult to design a modern high-rise in, for example, the old Art Deco, brick facade style of a building like First National? I know FNC is a steel structure with a brick facade. We have seen retro-nostalgic design popularity in things like ballparks since the early 1990's - is there any logisitical point that I am missing that would explain why there (at least by my observations) has been seemingly NO such similar trend in the design of skyscrapers?

In line with my questions above, in the 1960's and 1970's, many buildings which formerly had ornate trim and friezes were "renovated" with straight-line, bland concrete finishes. Was that the "style" of the times? Or is there an issue with weathering on some of those ornate details that we saw in buildings of the 1920's and 1930's that made such detail untenable? If you look at some of our own downtown buildings in OKC, such as Park Harvey (as one egregious example that comes to mind), what used to be beautifully detailed buildings were re-fitted to the steel girder/panel finishes that are not only tacky and cheap-looking, but remind me of something I would expect to see in a former Soviet bloc country. Note: I assume that Park Harvey was a renovation project some time back, and is indeed the same underlying structure of the building I have seen in old photographs. I apologize if my assumption is in error.

Is there any reason why many of the really cool and unique features we used to see atop some buildings are no longer en vogue? Example - I think it was the (now) Dowell Center which once had a fake oil derrick at its top. Features like that are something I would love to see on a modern building.

I'd love to hear the thoughts of the many of you whom know a ton more than I do about the evolution of architecture in this city and elsewhere!

[metro]

Very cool. Interesting architecture, try Dubai!

[ronronnie1]

I vote Dubai. But in 20 years it'll look so dated. Example: Dallas. Back when I was a kid, I was totally WOWED by the modern glass and granite skyscrapers in Dallas. Twenty+ years later and Dallas just SCREAMS 1980's.

Timeless design works everytime.

[Kerry]

Give me the mile after mile of low rise London buildings any time.

[Andy1807]

the juxtaposition of modern/ancient in London is my favorite. Plus, miles and miles of it.

[Kerry]

I might be a little partial, but if it is glass and steel you are looking for I can't think of any city in American that is better than Atlanta. Firday is my last day in Atlanta so I took a walk around Midtown Atlanta tonight. The pictures are uploading now and I will post a few when they are done. I could spend an entire week just taking pictures.

[EBAH]

well, all of those are cool, but if we are talking about balls out hyper modern architecture, it is all about ABU DHABI..It is officially the worlds richest city, and they have construction going on right now that just blows the mind.

[Spartan]

I have traveled to over 20 countries and only missing Utah and Hawaii as states to visit here in the US...that being said, I have never seen a downtown with as fascinating of modern architecture than Melbourne, Australia. I recently visited it and always love walking around all the downtowns I visit but this kept me awe the entire time.

I took lots of video and photos if you want to check them out yourself:

YouTube - Urban skyline shots of Melbourne, Australia'a incredible modern architecture
YouTube - Urban skyline shots of Melbourne, Australia'a incredible modern architecture
YouTube - Urban skyline shots of Melbourne, Australia'a incredible modern architecture
YouTube - Walking to the Melbourne Cricket Grounds in Melbourne, Australia

Yes, a rooftop hanging pool in downtown Melbourne on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
IMG_1118 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
IMG_1120 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
IMG_1160 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
100_0842 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Anyone else have some favorite modern downtown architecture cities?

Casey, that's awesome! Congrats on being so incredibly well traveled, I'm actually jealous of you. Very jealous. For what it's worth, I doubt you're missing much in Utah.

For modern architecture, I would recommend people check out two cities you probably wouldn't look for modern architecture in: Minneapolis and Cleveland.

Some Cleveland pics..















Some other awesome architecture in Ohio..









There are a lot of people that actually may think Ohio is tops for modern architecture. I absolutely detest Dubai--but if you want a more tasteful version of Dubai, try looking into Moscow. It's urban, historic, classy, traditional (and now free)..and at the same time, so many skyscrapers going up..it's incredible.

[Kerry]

As promised - here are some photos of Atlanta. I have not had time to clean them up so this is exactly how they came out of the camera.

http://traveler1.shutterfly.com/peachtreestreet-atlanta

[CaseyCornett]

Spartan - Those are in Cleveland?? (I just had a realization about what people think of when they hear Oklahoma City and related to anything of worth).

Kerry - Those photos of Atlanta eerily made me think of St. Louis buildings. Strange in a way.

[Spartan]

Yup. And one of those pics is actually a building that people should know well, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame..

[jbrown84]

well, all of those are cool, but if we are talking about balls out hyper modern architecture, it is all about ABU DHABI..It is officially the worlds richest city, and they have construction going on right now that just blows the mind.

That's some mind-blowing stuff. I think the Louvre is my favorite.