Welcome to the first run of Archigames, a new Curbed game wherein nominated local buildings of a particular style are matched up in sudden death pairings to decide the most suitable representative of said style. This week it's Postmodern (PoMo), and the first of four pairings is below. Brush up on the nominees, but always defer to your tastes when casting your vote below. Polls close tomorrow at noon. Thanks for playing!
Ding! Ding! Ding! In the opening round of our PoMo deathmatch, two titans of this oft-maligned style are squaring off in a battle for the ages. First up, we've got the NBC Tower (above left), a building that's hard not to like. The art-deco inspired office tower features a series of three set backs and rises to a height of 627 feet. Designed by Adrian Smith (when he was still with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM)), its flying buttresses are a reference to the nearby Tribune Tower. And a dramatic lighting scheme makes its presence along the Chicago River hard to miss.
In the other corner, there's 190 S. LaSalle (above right), a 'scraper that soars some 573 feet in the heart of the financial district. Built in 1987, the tower's lobby is home to a bronze statue and a luminous 55-foot high gold leaf ceiling. Designed by Phillip Johnson of Johnson Burgee Architects, the brooding behemoth culminates in a series of gabled roofs inspired by Burnham and Root's Masonic Temple. Thanks for the nominations. Now it's time to cast that all-important vote!