MISSION STATEMENT The goals of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, a partnership of individuals engaged in the practice of architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning, are:
To achieve excellence in designs that serve our clients and our communities;
To understand each client's specific aspirations and needs, and to provide services of value;
To lead our profession by developing forward-looking and innovative approaches to design, technology and management;
To practice in multi-disciplinary teams that can aspire to and achieve greater quality and success than individuals working alone;
To provide a stimulating and rewarding work environment that encourages the professional growth and development of individuals throughout the firm;
If only the credo were read more often... On a regular basis the key three words are collaboration, excellence and profitability. And they all revolve around the latter. The building is a bad idea.
I find the design to be consistant with other such monstrosities built by the USA in the name of freedom, but looking like war bunkers, such as the American Embassy in Chile, a real slap in the face to all of the chilean people. (It comes complete with 10-foot-tall walls, cameras, armed guards, fort-like windows and a cocodrile well!) So much for diplomacy...
http://www.embajadaeeuu.cl/ (enter the link "embassy" for a picture).
I'd like to point out that Chile knows no terrorism within it's borders -nor public school shootouts-, hasn't engaged in wars in over a century, has a solid working democracy, currently presides the OEA, closely collaborates with the UN, and takes pride in the fact that any person can walk right in the house of government (La Moneda) and stand a couple of meters away from the president's office, with no incidents ever happening because of it.
So I really can't see the need for such an outrageous demonstration of paranoid architecture.
Marco - In many ways the paranoia of the US is justified, though it is an unfortunate situation.
The government bullies other countries to get what it needs. It terrorizes smaller, less-developed countries in the name of peace and democracy - with actual motives far less altruistic - and contradicts itself by installing dictatorships to keep US interests preserved.
It exploits cheap labor overseas so CEOs can make more money for them and their shareholders.
It lies. A lot.
And the list goes on. Basically the gov't does a lot of bad things to people and places outside its borders so that its citizens can lead dapper lifestyles.
Sorry to sound cynical. Perhaps Kunstler and Chomsky and Zinn are rubbing off on me a bit much.
MISSION STATEMENT
ReplyDeleteThe goals of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, a partnership of individuals engaged in the practice of architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning, are:
To achieve excellence in designs that serve our clients and our communities;
To understand each client's specific aspirations and needs, and to provide services of value;
To lead our profession by developing forward-looking and innovative approaches to design, technology and management;
To practice in multi-disciplinary teams that can aspire to and achieve greater quality and success than individuals working alone;
To provide a stimulating and rewarding work environment that encourages the professional growth and development of individuals throughout the firm;
To foster the vitality and renewal of the firm.
Hey Dan:
ReplyDeleteI admire the credo if SOM, but the building still sucks.
If only the credo were read more often... On a regular basis the key three words are collaboration, excellence and profitability. And they all revolve around the latter. The building is a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteI find the design to be consistant with other such monstrosities built by the USA in the name of freedom, but looking like war bunkers, such as the American Embassy in Chile, a real slap in the face to all of the chilean people. (It comes complete with 10-foot-tall walls, cameras, armed guards, fort-like windows and a cocodrile well!)
ReplyDeleteSo much for diplomacy...
http://www.embajadaeeuu.cl/ (enter the link "embassy" for a picture).
I'd like to point out that Chile knows no terrorism within it's borders -nor public school shootouts-, hasn't engaged in wars in over a century, has a solid working democracy, currently presides the OEA, closely collaborates with the UN, and takes pride in the fact that any person can walk right in the house of government (La Moneda) and stand a couple of meters away from the president's office, with no incidents ever happening because of it.
So I really can't see the need for such an outrageous demonstration of paranoid architecture.
Marco - In many ways the paranoia of the US is justified, though it is an unfortunate situation.
ReplyDeleteThe government bullies other countries to get what it needs. It terrorizes smaller, less-developed countries in the name of peace and democracy - with actual motives far less altruistic - and contradicts itself by installing dictatorships to keep US interests preserved.
It exploits cheap labor overseas so CEOs can make more money for them and their shareholders.
It lies. A lot.
And the list goes on. Basically the gov't does a lot of bad things to people and places outside its borders so that its citizens can lead dapper lifestyles.
Sorry to sound cynical. Perhaps Kunstler and Chomsky and Zinn are rubbing off on me a bit much.