Santiago forever? As blogger Greg Allen observes, "According to the Curbed Theory of NY Media Darling Architects, full-force Calatrava-hatin' should've kicked in in January." Yet there was Santiago feted with a "snuggly celebration" in the NYT on Saturday, talking up his Tower O' Penthouses at 80 South Street. Greg's investigation into how Calatrava has managed to keep his groove on long past its expiration date:
$45 million condos at the Seaport don't sell themselves, pal: I think we're getting warmer. Says connoisseur/condo developer Frank Sciame, "Standing there in front of his sculpture, that's how this started." Or as he puts it in Absolute magazine, "In addition to being a work of art... it will also be a place to live." He's the only thing right about the WTC site: Ah-ha. "It helps us immensely to have someone give us a solution that is workable from an engineering point of view, as opposed to just an architecturally beautiful feature." Translation: Thanks for playing, Danny. There are some lovely parting gifts for you on the way out.
· Why is this Calatrava Moment different from all other Calatrava Moments? [greg.org]
· An Architect Embraces New York [NYTimes]
· Calatrava's Tower: Even More Egregiously Expensive! [Curbed]