Norman Foster's new skyscraper is an affront to New York skyline.
A gargantuan lump of structural steel has burst onto the Manhattan skyline, climbing in bulk like a behemoth from the depths. Its sheer scale defies comprehension, with 95,000 tonnes of steel used in its construction – enough to wrap around the world twice. The building's designers boast that it will be an iconic landmark, but for many, it looks more like a hulking monstrosity that threatens to engulf everything in its path.
JP Morgan's new headquarters is a 60-storey, $4bn skyscraper with a 'fortress balance sheet'. Chairman Jamie Dimon wants to assert his bank's dominance over the global economy. However, the building's design does not live up to its boastful claims. The structural steelwork is far more extensive than necessary, using 60% more metal than the Empire State Building – an imposing structure that has stood tall for generations.
While its sleek granite exterior boasts an impressive facade of carved boulders designed by Maya Lin, at street level, the tower erupts from the sidewalk with monstrous steel columns that fan out in all directions like giant fingers. The once-vibrant Union Carbide headquarters was demolished recently to make way for this new behemoth. Just seven years after undergoing a major renovation, it was torn down without any thought for its environmental impact.
JP Morgan's aggressive expansion has sparked outrage among locals and architects alike. Critics point out that the building's design prioritizes raw power over elegance and functionality. Engineer calculations have revealed that with some tweaks to the design, the carbon footprint of the tower could be reduced by 20-30%. However, it seems that cost – and ego – are more important than aesthetics in this massive corporate headquarters.
In a wider context, this building is part of a growing trend of supertalls sprouting up across Manhattan. With Foster+Partners as their architect, these skyscrapers will soon become synonymous with the city's skyline. London, it seems, has its own version of these gargantuan structures in the works – a 280,000 sqm European headquarters set to dwarf even the Shard.
JP Morgan's aggressive real estate expansion is just another chapter in New York City's long history of prioritizing corporate interests over public spaces and aesthetics. As the city becomes increasingly shaped by unbridled capital and self-interest, it remains to be seen whether Foster's gargantuan skyscraper will bring any lasting value or beauty to its surroundings – or simply serve as a monolith to JP Morgan's power.
A gargantuan lump of structural steel has burst onto the Manhattan skyline, climbing in bulk like a behemoth from the depths. Its sheer scale defies comprehension, with 95,000 tonnes of steel used in its construction – enough to wrap around the world twice. The building's designers boast that it will be an iconic landmark, but for many, it looks more like a hulking monstrosity that threatens to engulf everything in its path.
JP Morgan's new headquarters is a 60-storey, $4bn skyscraper with a 'fortress balance sheet'. Chairman Jamie Dimon wants to assert his bank's dominance over the global economy. However, the building's design does not live up to its boastful claims. The structural steelwork is far more extensive than necessary, using 60% more metal than the Empire State Building – an imposing structure that has stood tall for generations.
While its sleek granite exterior boasts an impressive facade of carved boulders designed by Maya Lin, at street level, the tower erupts from the sidewalk with monstrous steel columns that fan out in all directions like giant fingers. The once-vibrant Union Carbide headquarters was demolished recently to make way for this new behemoth. Just seven years after undergoing a major renovation, it was torn down without any thought for its environmental impact.
JP Morgan's aggressive expansion has sparked outrage among locals and architects alike. Critics point out that the building's design prioritizes raw power over elegance and functionality. Engineer calculations have revealed that with some tweaks to the design, the carbon footprint of the tower could be reduced by 20-30%. However, it seems that cost – and ego – are more important than aesthetics in this massive corporate headquarters.
In a wider context, this building is part of a growing trend of supertalls sprouting up across Manhattan. With Foster+Partners as their architect, these skyscrapers will soon become synonymous with the city's skyline. London, it seems, has its own version of these gargantuan structures in the works – a 280,000 sqm European headquarters set to dwarf even the Shard.
JP Morgan's aggressive real estate expansion is just another chapter in New York City's long history of prioritizing corporate interests over public spaces and aesthetics. As the city becomes increasingly shaped by unbridled capital and self-interest, it remains to be seen whether Foster's gargantuan skyscraper will bring any lasting value or beauty to its surroundings – or simply serve as a monolith to JP Morgan's power.
i mean come on 60% more metal than the empire state building?! that's just crazy talk 
and have you seen the way it looks like giant fingers just sticking out everywhere? 
seriously who designs a building that's supposed to be iconic but is actually just super ugly? i thought the union carbide headquaters was bad enough but this is on another level 
and btw why do they always prioritize cost over aesthetics anyway? can't they see how it affects the city? 
I'm not sure why they're making such a big deal about this building. It's just a skyscraper, right? 
The fact that they're using 60% more metal than the Empire State Building just feels like excess to me. And what about all the other buildings around it? Are they going to get torn down too just to make way for these giant skyscrapers?
i mean i know corporate interests are important but isnt there room for some public spaces or parks in nyc where ppl can chill after work 
. 60 storeys high and it looks like some kind of metallic giant rising from the ground. You can tell they didn't go for elegance or style, just pure raw power. It's like they took every bad 80s action movie villain and mashed them all together in one building 
. And $4 billion? That's like throwing money at a problem (no pun intended). I mean what's the point of having that kind of cash if it's just gonna look like a hulking monstrosity on the skyline? Back in my day we had buildings that were actually beautiful, not just soulless steel and glass towers 
.
gotta feel for the union carbide HQ though, didn't even get to enjoy 7 years of being a renovation superstar lol. and $4bn is wild considering how ugly it is. should've invested that cash in some fancy sustainability features instead 
But come on, a building that's literally twice the size of the Empire State Building? It's just too much! 
And don't even get me started on the environmental impact - I feel like we're being so short-sighted. 
! And it's using way more metal than they even need to 
. It's like they're trying to make a statement about how rich and powerful JP Morgan is, rather than creating something that benefits the community.
. But I guess cost and ego are more important than being kind to the planet right now 
. Where's the beauty in that? Can't we do better? 
. I mean, I get it, it's supposed to be some kind of statement about power and dominance, but honestly, can't we just have something beautiful and elegant instead? It's like the city is just being consumed by giant corporate beasts 
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. But sometimes I feel like we're losing sight of what makes a building worth building in the first place: people-friendly spaces and a sense of community. This just feels like another example of how corporate interests are taking over our city 
I mean, don't get me wrong, Norman Foster is a genius and all, but come on... 95,000 tonnes of steel? That's just ridiculous. And the fact that they're using 60% more metal than the Empire State Building just shows how overboard they are being. The building looks like some sort of industrial nightmare, not exactly what I'd call iconic. 
60 stories of steel & granite sounds more like a fortress than an office building to me. what about people's feelings & well-being in all this? don't they matter anymore? 
this new skyscraper is literally a monster 
and it looks so ugly 
the design is all about power and dominance over the city, but at what cost? 
I mean, can't we have some beauty in our architecture too? 
and btw, didn't they just tear down another building without even thinking about its environmental impact? 
it's like they're trying to erase the history of the city. 
It's like, we're living in a world where tech companies are basically becoming our new governments, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. 
. Either way, I think it's time for New York City to start thinking more critically about what kind of buildings are popping up all over the city. Maybe we can have some more balance between progress and beauty? 
. And what's with all the emphasis on how big and powerful it is? Can't they just focus on makin' somethin' beautiful for once? 
.