‘Gate to the East’ skyscraper likened to giant pair of pants
September 5 2012
Designed by RMJM the twin legged complex was intended to marry the Chinese and Western influences of its chief designers, but critics of the grandiose project have been quick to come up with an altogether less flattering comparison.
Initially favourable sentiment in the Chinese press has turned against the iconic structure as its final form takes shape with the Shanghai Daily running a front page splash asking ‘Is it an arch or just plain pants?’
The furore hasn’t gone unnoticed by state-run news agency Xinhua, mouthpiece of the governing Communist Party, which observed bluntly in a recent headline: ‘New giant tower branded ‘pants.’”
Developer Suzhou Chinaing Real Estate Co claims that the 74 storey edifice will be the largest ‘gate shaped’ sculpture in the world once complete in 2013.
Residents are at least guaranteed a high quality pair of long johns once complete, the façade system is described as overlaying the tower like the local Suzhou silk.
5 Comments
#2 Posted by Dandelion on 5 Sep 2012 at 16:08 PM
its such a pity that these emerging economies seem to hand these great architectural opportunities to architectural practises of such modest ability.
#3 Posted by Jonathan Stevens on 5 Sep 2012 at 16:34 PM
The negative space looks like a woman's vibrator (or a guy's if that's what you're into)
#4 Posted by Trombe Wall on 6 Sep 2012 at 13:39 PM
Is this the sprue that the Gerkin was removed from?
#5 Posted by ha on 7 Sep 2012 at 11:43 AM
well wonky, whatever comparison were you suggesting, I don´t think rmjm have much architecture to be proud off lately. In fact the comparison to some good chinese practices is just ridiculous
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Do modern architects suffer from penis envy more than in other professions?