First City Tower, Houston

Wu-Gambino · November 23rd, 2003, 06:50 AM

202 m/662 ft
49 floors
completed in 1981
designed by Morris-Aubry

One way to outlive your name is to build an architectural legacy to yourself. That is what First City has achieved with this building. The staircase cut along the side gives this building the illusion of two giant puzzle pieces locked together, but not quite aligned. More importantly, it impresses the letter F for "First City" on those who gaze at its 49-stories of aluminum panels and green tinted glass. The tower creates the illusion of being on a larger piece of property than it actually is by rotating diagonally away from the downtown street grid, which is itself, rotated diagonally away from the traditional north-south layout.

AtlanticaC5 · November 23rd, 2003, 12:09 PM

7/10...The cut in the side looks quite cool, even though it's still very boxy...

November 23rd, 2003, 02:08 PM

Don't really like the cuts in the sides (the way they were done here). That's a pity because it seems the only distinctive aspect.

5/10

Wu-Gambino · November 23rd, 2003, 03:16 PM

6/10

I don't care for it, but it looks like it fits Houston.

RafflesCity · November 23rd, 2003, 08:03 PM

6.5/10

The holes help to break the monotony of the horizontal stripes, but overall they still dont change what is still an uninspiring design.

SteelCity32 · November 24th, 2003, 03:54 AM

pretty boxy. I don't like it. 5/10

Fabio · November 24th, 2003, 04:02 AM

6/10

I don't like it much

alex3000 · November 24th, 2003, 05:21 AM

6/10

weirdo · November 26th, 2003, 06:16 PM

10/10 for the photographers. the boring building looks neat. but the building gets 3.5/10 for being so

. even the colour is

renell · November 26th, 2003, 06:59 PM

6/10 those depressions in the sides make it a bit more interesting.

sjambler · November 27th, 2003, 08:21 PM

Plain but not ugly 7/10. Are the elevators see-out??

baqthier · December 6th, 2003, 05:00 AM

I'll give it more points if it has more cut-outs. 6/10

New Jack City · December 6th, 2003, 09:09 PM

5/10...The architect committed a HUGE mistake in making the mid level setback on the facade, really what the hell were they thinking and who would approve of such a design?!

MCC · December 9th, 2003, 10:29 PM

6/10 I don't like how the windows are in horizontal columns on one side and how they're in separate columns on the other.

Sniper · December 11th, 2003, 01:48 AM

8.5/10. Cmon, it's good!!!!!!!

***TYW*** · December 16th, 2003, 04:30 PM

7/10
it's OK

james2390 · January 3rd, 2004, 10:06 AM

i like the set backs, 9

luis · January 7th, 2004, 04:18 AM

7/10

DamienK · February 9th, 2004, 02:20 PM

6.5/10. The indentations add little interest to this boring box.

Necker · February 10th, 2004, 06:01 PM

6.5/10

View Poll Results: First City Tower
10	7	7.87%
9.5	3	3.37%
9	3	3.37%
8.5	3	3.37%
8	19	21.35%
7.5	8	8.99%
7	18	20.22%
6.5	4	4.49%
6	12	13.48%
5.5	1	1.12%
5	4	4.49%
4.5	3	3.37%
4	2	2.25%
3.5	2	2.25%
3 or less	0	0%
Voters: 89. You may not vote on this poll

November 23rd, 2003, 06:50 AM	#1
Wu-Gambino Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,678 Likes (Received): 2	First City Tower, Houston 202 m/662 ft 49 floors completed in 1981 designed by Morris-Aubry One way to outlive your name is to build an architectural legacy to yourself. That is what First City has achieved with this building. The staircase cut along the side gives this building the illusion of two giant puzzle pieces locked together, but not quite aligned. More importantly, it impresses the letter F for "First City" on those who gaze at its 49-stories of aluminum panels and green tinted glass. The tower creates the illusion of being on a larger piece of property than it actually is by rotating diagonally away from the downtown street grid, which is itself, rotated diagonally away from the traditional north-south layout. Last edited by Wu-Gambino; July 22nd, 2004 at 07:01 PM.

November 23rd, 2003, 12:09 PM	#2
AtlanticaC5 Right Here, Right Now Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Stockholm Posts: 2,655 Likes (Received): 0	7/10...The cut in the side looks quite cool, even though it's still very boxy... __________________ Higher and higher, straight up we'll climb

November 24th, 2003, 03:54 AM	#6
SteelCity32 Don't be that guy! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 1,098 Likes (Received): 0	pretty boxy. I don't like it. 5/10 __________________ I often dream of huge numb buildings, jet black sinister architecture. Being installed when nobody sees. Their appearence so sudden that few would take notice.

November 24th, 2003, 05:21 AM	#8
alex3000 I'm not Chinese Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,335 Likes (Received): 1	6/10 __________________ California must protect its borders from AUSTRIA.

November 23rd, 2003, 02:08 PM	#3
airsickpenthousedweller Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	Don't really like the cuts in the sides (the way they were done here). That's a pity because it seems the only distinctive aspect. 5/10

November 23rd, 2003, 03:16 PM	#4
Wu-Gambino Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,678 Likes (Received): 2	6/10 I don't care for it, but it looks like it fits Houston.

November 23rd, 2003, 08:03 PM	#5
RafflesCity By Spirit Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S I N G A P O R E Posts: 26,215 Likes (Received): 6	6.5/10 The holes help to break the monotony of the horizontal stripes, but overall they still dont change what is still an uninspiring design.

November 24th, 2003, 04:02 AM	#7
Fabio Go Habs! Go! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Montréal-QC Posts: 5,092 Likes (Received): 2	6/10 I don't like it much

November 26th, 2003, 06:16 PM	#9
weirdo helter skelter Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: avenida taft Posts: 656 Likes (Received): 2	10/10 for the photographers. the boring building looks neat. but the building gets 3.5/10 for being so . even the colour is __________________ metro manila daily bangkok \| manila \| singapore \|

November 26th, 2003, 06:59 PM	#10
renell Here Since 2002 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Sydney/Metro Manila Posts: 6,747 Likes (Received): 2	6/10 those depressions in the sides make it a bit more interesting. __________________ dafuq I've been here ten years?!

November 27th, 2003, 08:21 PM	#11
sjambler Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 99 Likes (Received): 0	Plain but not ugly 7/10. Are the elevators see-out??

December 6th, 2003, 05:00 AM	#12
baqthier RISING LIKE A SPIRE! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Land of The Petronas Towers Posts: 6,304 Likes (Received): 2	I'll give it more points if it has more cut-outs. 6/10 __________________ Whatever lah! *7 YEARS OF THE MALAYSIAN FORUM Since 22nd Dec, 2002* - Kuala Lumpur Sky - Penang Sky

December 6th, 2003, 09:09 PM	#13
New Jack City User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NYC Posts: 5,646 Likes (Received): 7	5/10...The architect committed a HUGE mistake in making the mid level setback on the facade, really what the hell were they thinking and who would approve of such a design?!

December 9th, 2003, 10:29 PM	#14
MCC Made in Indy Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 817 Likes (Received): 0	6/10 I don't like how the windows are in horizontal columns on one side and how they're in separate columns on the other.

December 11th, 2003, 01:48 AM	#15
Sniper In the bric Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Porto Alegre / Bordeaux Posts: 2,454 Likes (Received): 301	8.5/10. Cmon, it's good!!!!!!!

December 16th, 2003, 04:30 PM	#16
*TYW* Penang Skyscrapers Hunter Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: George Town Posts: 9,276 Likes (Received): 1	7/10 it's OK __________________ THE CITY OF GEORGE TOWN, PENANG - 55 YEARS (1ST JANUARY 1957) "the said Municipality of George Town shall on the First Day of January in the Year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fifty seven and forever thereafter be a city and shall be called and styled the CITY OF GEORGE TOWN instead of the Municipality of George Town and shall thenceforth have all such rank, liberties, privileges and immunities as are incident to a city." - Queen Elizabeth II

January 3rd, 2004, 10:06 AM	#17
james2390 Tribune Tower Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 2,920 Likes (Received): 1	i like the set backs, 9

January 7th, 2004, 04:18 AM	#18
luis Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Puebla Posts: 990 Likes (Received): 6	7/10

February 9th, 2004, 02:20 PM	#19
DamienK Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Perth Posts: 3,258 Likes (Received): 16	6.5/10. The indentations add little interest to this boring box. __________________ 21st Century Coeds - Some things never change Read the webcomic

February 10th, 2004, 06:01 PM	#20
Necker BANNED Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Santiago d.C Posts: 1,549 Likes (Received): 0	6.5/10

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