If I lived in the neighborhood, I would DEFINITELY oppose the new Islamic Community Center.

[HopeHoops]

I fully support their right to build it, and exactly where it is. I would oppose it because IT IS FUCKING UGLY!!! Have you seen this yet?

http://blog.park51.org/?p=143

:puke:

What the HELL were they thinking? I hope they come up with a decent replacement design and build it, but that design was a disaster before it was rendered.

[texastoast]

1. Should I unrec for ugliness?

I agree. It's m'fugly. Architectural self-indulgence. Ooooooogly.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Personally, I think it's beautiful.

[ET Awful]

6. I agree. I think it would liven up the look of the entire area.

Plus, with all the open window area and all the internal open spaces, it would likely allow a lot of natural light through making it a very energy efficient building (less need for artificial lighting).

If that's really what the building will look like, I'm even more "for" it than I was already.

[uncommon]

3. I like it.

:shrug:

[seabeyond]

4. i think it is ugly too.... so doesn't go with neighborhood. and i want them to build

just doesn't work AT ALL where they are putting it. out on land and acreage, might work.... but amongst the buildings next to it....

ugly

[HopeHoops]

7. Exactly - it seriously doesn't fit. I doubt I would like it anywhere else either, but still.

[Sinistrous]

23. Maybe if they added exterior fire escapes

it would blend in with that architectural masterpiece to the right of it.

[Hissyspit]

62. Why does it have to "match" what's next to it?

All buildings sitting next to each other should look exactly alike?

Why?

[seabeyond]

69. of course it doesnt have to look exactly the same. nt

[piratefish08]

5. I like it. Now this is fuggin' ugly -------->

http://www.stpatrickinarmonk.org

[HopeHoops]

Yep. That's fugly too.

[piratefish08]

9. and this

http://www.stmarysrockledge.org/new_church.htm

[otohara]

11. Looks Like Nuclear Reactor

like in the opening of The Simpson's

[onpatrol98]

77. that's one strange looking building

:shrug:

[otohara]

8. I Think It Cool - Modern

and isn't this the message the center is supposed to project - modern, moderate Muslims?

[Occulus]

10. Do I have to do this EVERY time someone complains about modern architecture?

I guess I do. Meet the Green Bird Building:

[SwampG8r]

13. looks like the worlds largest vibrator

[HopeHoops]

14. Yeah, that's what I thought too - sick minds think alike. I've never seen that picture before.

Is it real or a PhotoShop creation?

[jaxx]

12. The facade is actually pretty interesting.

If you will look, there appears to be the Jewish star along with the cross. I just noticed those two, but there may very well be more...I'm not familiar with others so don't know what to look for. Look at the 3rd pic in the row of 3.

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. A very beautiful building, inside and outside.

[MrModerate]

16. Architecture, like other design arts, is meant to trigger an emotional response . . .

Hopefully positive.

I don't love the design, but I don´t consider it an abomination, either. And as far as fitting into the neighborhood goes, that´s less important to me (particularly given that the buildings in the rendering are pretty undistinguished). The building isn´t just another office tower, it's a cultural and religious center, and is fully justified in looking bold and different.

I disagree with your aesthetic judgement -- just as you disagree with the architects'.

[HopeHoops]

20. Oh yeah, well (CENSORED) (CENSORED) (CENSORED) and (CENSORED)!!!

:hi:

I just LOVE doing that. And hey, if we didn't have our own opinions, we'd all be Republicans.

:grouphug:

[MrModerate]

17. Self-delete

[MrModerate]

18. Self-delete

[Ian David]

19. It kinda looks like The Fountain Bleu in Miami. n/t

[HopeHoops]

22. Isn't that a drink served with a paper umbrella?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

21. lol. i think its kinda cool looking

[Ian David]

24. I have a feeling the exterior is supposed to be functional to help survive chrstianist terror attack

[HopeHoops]

26. What, by serving as a place to park bombs like wine bottles?

Sorry, but that's the immediate imagery your post brought to mind.

[Ian David]

48. Ahh, yes... the old "Exploding Wine Bottle Trick..."

[HopeHoops]

57. LOL! Shouldn't we discuss this under the "Cone of Silence"?

[MineralMan]

25. I like it very much. Ugly is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

[CrispyQ]

27. I like it. I think it looks really cool! --nt

[CJCRANE]

28. The first time I saw that I thought it was a hoax

designed to rile up teabaggers.

I was surprised to find out that's actually the real design.

The rendering makes it look totally out of place, but it might look nice in real life.

[HopeHoops]

30. You know? The "rile up the teabaggers" angle hadn't occurred to me.

That's a SERIOUS possibility!

[GodlessBiker]

29. I like the design a lot. Will go great on a NYC street.

[HopeHoops]

31. Nah - not enough flat surfaces for graffiti.

[GodlessBiker]

33. Exactly. Wise design.

[HopeHoops]

LOL! Excellent point!

:rofl:

[Ruby the Liberal]

32. It is funky looking. I like it! nt

[Erose999]

34. Needs some minnarets and onion domes. I want it to look more like the headquarters for the

Marxist-socialist-Islamo-ACORN caliphate of new SanFrancisco-stan that they are claiming it is going to be.

[HopeHoops]

37. A hammer & sickle symbol on the outside would REALLY mess with the teabaggers!

[alfredo]

35. How they furnish it will make the difference. Colors inside

when seen at night will be quite fetching

[nuxvomica]

36. Actually, as post-Modern acrhitecture goes, it's not half-bad

It certainly looks structurally sound, and in no way resembles a crumpled up piece of tinfoil, so it may not even be strictly post-Modern.

[kentauros]

38. You really need to understand Islamic and Arabic art before looking at this building.

It is based on a very common geometric design used over and over again in their art, especially the tiles and mosaics they use on buildings. I recognized the pattern the moment I saw that image, and thought it not only appropriate, but the perfect choice. I find it utterly beautiful! :D

Please read the content of this site, Arabic geometry. Perhaps it will open your eyes as to why this is a beautiful building and not the least bit "ugly" :)

[mod mom]

39. It's an unbelievably BEAUTIFUL building!

[kenny blankenship]

40. LOL. Disagree.

Transposing Islamic architecture's characteristic geometries in tilework and coffered ceilings to the facade in mock structural elements may be debatable at some higher level of architectural/aesthetic theory, but it is not "FUCKING UGLY." Anyway the Modernist or International wave that would oppose such a move on functional grounds is 50 years in the grave already.

The stellar geometries of Islamic tiling and ceilings are so unique to that culture that not incorporating them into the street level identity of the building would be an unforgivable lost opportunity. It seems to me that the architect and the commissioning patron have made a respectable attempt at this without saddling their design with a stultifying symmetry.

It sticks out of its environment? Yes, like a breath of fresh air in a smog choked city street.

[HopeHoops]

41. More like an oil slick in a pond.

It simply does not fit the surroundings.

[kentauros]

47. If "fitting into its surroundings"

was the driving force behind architecture, then we would either have no buildings (they'd contrast too much with their natural surroundings to ever fit in) or all buildings would be designed exactly alike. Can't have contrast of any kind of it "doesn't fit in with its surroundings".

So, why does that white and unimaginative monstrosity one more building to the left of the Community Center get "approved" to "fit into its surroundings" and this one doesn't? What is the criteria for fitting in? ;)

[Warren DeMontague]

42. I like it. I think it's cool. I think we need more brave and innovative architectural statements.

Frankly, American Architecture has become sort of dull, boring and conservative IMHO.

[ThatsMyBarack]

43. I don't care what it looks like....

Just as long as good people who have never done anything wrong to us have the right to build it.

[Desertrose]

44. I find it very beautiful and refreshing....

what an incredible play on light & shadow. Awesome!

Ugly? ...not to me.

[SOS]

45. The whole thing is no longer an issue

The "controversy" was a political stunt manufactured by the Republican/Fox operatives.
The goal was to force Democrats running in November to "take a stand" on this faux issue.
But then the Fox agenda backfired badly.
The stabbing in NY, the arson in TN and finally the idiot in Florida.
Fox realized they were entering Birmingham territory as they watched their deranged viewers become violent.

Anyone else notice this is off the news?

[HopeHoops]

46. Oh, I completely agree that it was a manufactured "controversy".

I just can't believe they're proposing to build that thing in that spot! And again, I fully support the project (if not the design) and am disgusted by those who oppose it because it has something to do with Islam.

On a side note, there was an editorial in TODAY'S paper about how terrible it would be for a "mosque" to be built "on Ground Zero". The dumbfucks are still out there.

[ellie]

49. It's pretty.

[Mike Marble]

50. I don't live in Manhattan, so I don't really care. That is all.

[onpatrol98]

51. hmm...it's certainly a different look

but, not that bad...it could grow on you - in a swiss cheese, spiderweb kind of way.

[HopeHoops]

73. Throw in some herpes and a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 and you might be on to something!

I still think it is ugly.

[onpatrol98]

74. Beauty is in the beholder...

So maybe if you..."beholding" a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20...it's downright gorgeous.

LOL

Seriously, it's different. It would definitely stand out.

[HopeHoops]

78. I actually bought a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 in '82 - never opened it.

I just bought it for the humor value.

[-..__...]

52. Has anyone else noticed...

that the way some of the segments/cross members criss-cross, they form the Star of David (or something visually close enough)?

[slackmaster]

53. That's because Islam is actually run by Jews

They run everything.

[kwassa]

54. I also think it is a beautiful building.

[kwassa]

55. I also think it is a beautiful building.

[closeupready]

56. Personally, I like it. There is a similar Islamic community structure in Paris

that is fun and interesting. And of course the tzellige thing they've got going on is all over the place in the muslim world, as it is geometry-based design that conforms to traditional Islamic proscriptions against artful representations of people and natural forms.

[kenny blankenship]

58. I've changed my mind.

It's not a respectable design : it will be flat-out gorgeous.

Rendering of the ICC at night, from the architects' website.

Neighbors of the ICC will bask in borrowed coolness.

[HopeHoops]

60. Not if you live across the street and are trying to get some sleep.

:evilgrin:

[philly_bob]

59. I think it looks good. (nt)

[Hissyspit]

61. I think it's great.

The building that is there right now is abandoned and ugly.

[kenny blankenship]

75. The building that is there right now is abandoned and ugly.

But it fits in with its environment so well!

[Codeine]

63. That's actually pretty neat.

Reminds me of the concrete lace that used to be attached to the front of buildings in the 60s.

[bigwillq]

64. I think it's cool (nt)

[bherrera]

65. it's truly a holy building

Looks like swiss cheese.

[Orsino]

66. It's beautiful, I think. n/t

[supernova]

67. I like it

It's very courageous to build something like that aesthetically. The fact that it doesn't look like the surrounding buildings is a plus in my book. Who needs more mid-20th Cen cement blocks? It one of the very contributors to urban areas feeling depressing.

I like the open air feel of it and the seeming way it stands there despite the swiss cheese appearance. It speaks of openness and transparency.

[WeekendWarrior]

68. Looks pretty gorgeous to me.

[MadHound]

70. So, it looks like a sponge, big deal

At least it isn't a Donald Duck church, those those are good for a giggle.

[Radical Activist]

71. Hornets nest! Run away!

Given the nature of the project, I don't think I would approved a design that induces fear at an instinctual level.

[IcyPeas]

72. it's gonna get real dirty real quick with all those nooks and crannies.

I think it's very 1970's looking.

[slackmaster]

76. Teh birdies will love it!

[JI7]

79. It works well with their message of a more Modern Islam

it might keep away the islamic fundies. also this is more of a community center and looks like it . it makes it inviting to everyone.

[HopeHoops]

80. I see "future home for 50,000 pigeons". Use an umbrella when entering or exiting.