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What else is actually being done on the small project on 42nd Road? As far as I have seen, the external lift is still at the back of the building.
Interior scope.
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Long Island City has really become the home of nondescript glass buildings.
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So the concrete portion is staying like that? Would have been better clad in the material used for the black portions of the facade on the edges. Ruins the top of the building pretty bad.
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A rainscreen was put infront of the concrete/cmu blocks, it just looks really bad.
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Is the rain screen also what I am seeing in sections on the same floors of the terrace cutout? It is more evident when you zoom in.
The blue volumes are still glass but if you’re refering to the left and right upper volumes, i think those are just screens/mesh. Would need a really good zoomed into photo to confirm.
Tall, thick, boring, mundane, filler, more glass, square, nothing to stand out
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LIC could have done something crazy and been a true exhibit of international architects seeing as it is the World’s Borough. But nah. Almost no pride and just banality.
The six-story pre-war buildings in Astoria and Sunnyside have more character.
3 Likes
I agree. In general, LIC is void of “quality architecture”. I always use the Vitruvian Triad as my criteria for good architecture: most of the NEW buildings in LIC fail on the third requirement - Venustas/Beauty. 
I will presume they are ‘well constructed’ (Firmitas) and meet all program/brief requirements (Utilitas) - so one can give credit for that much. They are producing housing/shelter: and that is a good thing. 
The three principles for architecture that are considered essential to its quality: Vitruvian Triad.
1) Firmitas; Durability or physical strength, which ensures the structural integrity of a building
2) Utilitas; Convenience or utility, which refers to the efficient arrangement of spaces and systems to meet the needs of the building’s occupants
3) Venustas; Beauty or aesthetic quality, which refers to the style, proportion, and visual appeal of a building
BTW - the Baronson photos are supreme… 
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It’s as if all the background buildings were constructed first, getting the area ready for an iconic landmark to steal the show… if only Amazon were interested in this location.
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This tower should have been rotated 180 degrees.
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ALL of these 700+ footers that rose in LIC, I honestly don’t even know which one is the subject of the thread I click on lol. Completely indistinguishable from each other as far as I can tell
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