12 July 2007

Frank Gehry's IAC Building on the West Side Highway

"The Frank Gehry designed IAC building, serving as world headquarters for Barry Diller’s media and internet empire, joins a growing list of new projects that reflect how mainstream developers in the city are significantly raising the creative stakes after decades of settling for bland, soul-sapping office buildings. "

I can't believe I never even noticed this thing! But now that I think about it I'm hardly ever on the West Side Highway unless its very late at night and I'm coming or going... to the Queer Piers of course.

But last weekend as I was driving into the city to pick up my new meticulously tailored seersucker suit, I passed by this giant glacier sitting on the West Side Highway.


Now I don't know what all these quasi-NY-real-estate-new-development-snarks are flapping about but this building is as beautiful as it is stunning, intriguing and very different from anything I've ever seen; and fellas, I've been around the world. I've seen Gehry's Guggenheim in Bilbao and Gaudí's Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and this IAC building is easily one of my favourite buildings, period. It looks like something from a Batman comic set in Antarctica.

Now I could understand the diehards' complaints if this building were in Vinegar Hill or Brooklyn Heights but its on the West Side, arguably one of the most architecturally ambigious areas of Manhattan. For once it's a building that stands out in a good way.

I just feel like a cave dweller that I'd never noticed it before. Its just amazing, especially seeing it for the first time, I couldn't help but gush and look up like a tourist waiting for the Circle Line.

It's on the West Side Highway - 11th Avenue betwixt West 18th and West 19th Streets - right across from Chelsea Piers. It's only 9 stories tall (155 feet) but it looks massive because of its location and design; like the QE2 passing under the Verrazano.

The facade has this uniquely treated & frosted sculptured glass that makes it look like a giant igloo and never an office building. It's just perfect. I'll let the photos speak for themselves. If you want more Frank Gehry porn, just Google it. He can do no wrong in my eyes.






1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What about Miss Brooklyn/Atlantic Yards? Is there no wrong in that?