"No one can afford to live in the city anymore" says commenter about NYC skyscraper

In this week's comments update, readers are discussing news that architecture studio BIG has completed its first supertall skyscraper in New York City and debating a minimalist pink house in Mexico by César Béjar Studio.

Called The Spiral, BIG's latest completed project in New York reaches 314 metres (1,031 feet), making it a supertall skyscraper.

Located along the High Line, the 66-storey building gets its moniker from a series of stepped terraces wrapped around its exterior.

"There's something truly cynical about this work"

Dezen readers were quick to give their opinions about the project in the comments section.

"Just what the city needs: more unused office space during record-low occupancy rates," wrote BillH11103. "Meanwhile, no one can afford to live in the city anymore. Brilliant!"

"There's something truly cynical about this work, IMHO," commented Frank. "Bjarke continues to toss out this 30-second, back-of-a-napkin, copy-paste-array diagram stuff and people keep buying it."

In a comment that was upvoted 10 times, Jacob Volanski wrote "for a firm that prides itself on its 'environmentally responsive' architecture, this glass monolith with some greenwashed terraces is a major disappointment".

However, commenter Hmm was pleasantly surprised by the finished project."This did not look good in the renders – it seemed like just another bland and uninspired Lego tower trying too hard to be cool," they recalled.

"But I think it turned out really well. The proportions work, the detailing seems to be on point and fits in rather well – quite restrained without silly gimmicks," they added.

Do you like the latest project from BIG? Join the discussion ›

"The perfect pink"

Another project that got readers talking this week was César Béjar Studio's minimalist pink house sandwiched between two buildings in Culiacán, Mexico.

Some Dezeen readers were won over by the colour scheme.

Edward Sheng found the "white interior calm" and Ken Steffes described the house exterior as "the perfect pink." But not all commenters were in agreement.

"I love the minimalism of the exterior," wrote Milton Welch. However, the "interiors appear a bit hazy and claustrophobic due to coloured daylight coming through the tinted glass and diminishing the benefits of the white interiors", they added.

Puzzello stated "I could not live in a house without a visual relationship to the exterior from the interior".

JZ chimed in, writing "I'm always captivated by the way light can be manipulated, but I agree with you. Emotionally, I need to see some blue sky, perhaps some clouds and some green."

Calming or claustrophobic? Join the discussion ›

"I love when something is so good that I'm mad it wasn't my idea"

Also on commenters radar's this week was the story that Canadian designer Omer Arbel has created a home in British Columbia with expressive pillars made from concrete poured into fabric.

The columns run through the house, with some approaching 10 metres (32 feet) tall, fluted at the base before extending upwards into an expansive "lilypad" shape.

Mark Zudini was impressed. "Love the spaces and light – overall, inspiring," they wrote.

In the same boat was Rob Rohena. "Wow. Beautiful. I love when something is so good that I'm mad it wasn't my idea."

However, some other readers weren't so quick to celebrate the project.

Jb reckoned that "the 'expressive pillars' are fun and intriguing but they clash with the dour, modernist aesthetic."

George Panagos was less forgiving, writing "well, that's a whole lot of concrete for a thoroughly claustrophobic and unattractive bunch of pillars."

Which side are you on? Join the discussion ›

Comments update 

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