{"id":11720,"date":"2016-05-25T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-05-25T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/architizer.wpengine.com\/buildings-with-nicknames-1\/"},"modified":"2022-05-31T08:55:24","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T12:55:24","slug":"buildings-with-nicknames-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/collections\/buildings-with-nicknames-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Also Known As: What Building Nicknames Really Mean"},"content":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s in a name? That depends who\u2019s giving it. In the case of high-profile architecture, a large number of buildings have official names, but the more distinctive forms among those structures tend to attract popular sobriquets bestowed on them by the public. These nicknames can run the gamut from humorous to disparaging and are often quite memorable<\/a>, but their real value lies in the disconnect they illustrate between an architect\u2019s original design intent and the way it is perceived by the general public.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n

London\u2019s skyline is packed with nicknamed towers. Image via the Daily Mail<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

This phenomenon can be seen as mainstream society\u2019s attempt to take possession over a conspicuous element that may feel forced on them, because an eye-catching, prominently placed building is something that\u2019s passed by, entered and used every day by many people who had no hand in the decision-making process that led to that building.<\/p>\n

As such, a public nickname can be seen as valuable feedback for the effect that certain design decisions have on a wide range of people and, as a gap in translation between architects and the society they serve, can offer fantastic insight into a culture\u2019s common perceptions. Below are some of the most notable examples of this occurrence, as featured on the Architizer database<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 LAD LABORATORIO ARCHITETTURA E DESIGN<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

\u201cThe Stealth\u201d<\/h2>\n

Olgiata Shopping Plaza<\/b><\/a> by LAD<\/a>, Rome, Italy<\/p>\n

A sloped, pyramidal form defines this suburban shopping center in an attempt to mediate natural and human constructions. As an allusion to a mastaba, the form was intended to reference ancient shelters made entirely from earthen materials, but with a contemporary skin of sleek, orthogonal titanium, its users instead perceive an aesthetic of military aircraft. Referred to as \u201cThe Stealth\u201d for the aerodynamic feel of its dark exterior panels and shape, the name is indicative of the pervasive power of modern imagery over the visceral understandings of elemental forms that are often believed to be deeply rooted in the human psyche.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n

\u201cThe Berlin Brain\u201d<\/h2>\n

Free University of Berlin<\/b><\/a> by Foster + Partners<\/a>,Berlin, Germany<\/p>\n

Set within the historic modernist campus of the Free University of Berlin, a library for the philology department was conceived to be an aesthetic embodiment of spatial and environmental efficiency, with a panelized fa\u00e7ade paying homage to the modular orientation of the surrounding campus.<\/p>\n

Chosen because it combines maximum volume with minimum surface area, the resulting teardrop-shaped enclosure employs its faceted surface to allow natural ventilation and daylighting. The distinctive shape also serves as the basis for the building\u2019s cranial moniker, a reminder that regardless of design intent, popular understanding of architecture lies somewhere between what it houses and what it looks like.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 DLR Group<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

\u201cThe Rainbow School\u201d<\/h2>\n

South Region Elementary School No. 2<\/b><\/a> by DLR Group<\/a>, Los Angeles, Calif., United States<\/p>\n

A variety of bright, vibrant colors were applied to the perimeter wall of this school in order to lighten the mood of what is essentially a security feature. Sheltering an interior schoolyard, this wall provides a haven for students at recess and a place for teachers to conduct outdoor classes, without appearing to be a fortification from either the schoolyard or the sidewalk.<\/p>\n

It seems this goal has been accomplished, to an extent, because the school\u2019s nickname could hardly be construed as negative. Whether or not the application of this nickname indicates success in the school\u2019s goal to also become a symbol for neighborhood revitalization is less clear and will likely rely on future circumstances beyond the control of its designers. In any case, this name suggests the school is at least seen as a symbol for the community regardless of the fate of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n

\u201cThe Praying Hand in the Vineyard\u201d<\/h2>\n

Haus Wurth<\/b><\/a> by Hermann & Valentiny and Partners<\/a>, Wormeldange, Luxembourg<\/p>\n

A desire to provide natural light in a way that would appear architecturally elemental from the outside led the designer of this private residence to apply a solid\/void rhythm to the fa\u00e7ade, alternating between vertical bands of glass and COR-TEN steel.<\/p>\n

The resulting \u201cfingers,\u201d when seen from afar, were interpreted by the local townspeople as two hands coming together in prayer. While the nickname may sound better when spoken in the language it was coined in, it\u2019s nonetheless suggestive of a culture that tends to graft its values onto the objects it encounters. In this case, it can also remind architects to consider their designs from all possible vantage points \u2014 near or far.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 Moon Hoon<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

\u201cLollipop House<\/a>\u201d<\/h2>\n

<\/a><\/b>by Moon Hoon<\/a>, Yongin-si, South Korea<\/p>\n

A client\u2019s wish to live in a unique-looking house was the impetus behind the distinctive qualities of this residence flanked by typical homes in a tightly packed residential area. Contrary to appearances, an expressive fa\u00e7ade wasn\u2019t the starting point for the resulting house, but rather a side effect that came about from an interior layout based on spiraling circulation.<\/p>\n

As a reflection of this concept, the paneled fa\u00e7ade certainly does its job, though like many symbolic works of art, it needs to be explained to passersby who weren\u2019t in the room for the original creative discussion. In that sense, the child-like, candy-themed nickname reflects a public attitude of appropriation of artistic objects placed in their everyday sphere, outside of museums and galleries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s in a name? That depends who\u2019s giving it. In the case of high-profile architecture, a large number of buildings have official names, but the more distinctive forms among those structures tend to attract popular sobriquets bestowed on them by the public. These nicknames can run the gamut from humorous to disparaging and are often…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"architizer_featured_type":"projects","architizer_featured_image":"1608227","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,3],"tags":[29],"architizer_project":[],"architizer_brand":[],"architizer_firm":[],"architizer_product":[],"class_list":["post-11720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-collections","category-inspiration","tag-play"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAlso Known As: What Building Nicknames Really Mean - Architizer Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/collections\/buildings-with-nicknames-1\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Also Known As: What Building Nicknames Really Mean - Architizer Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What\u2019s in a name? 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