I was inspired to research more about the mix of architecture and the AT&T building. Boomers like me remember these microwave towers everywhere. The 1950’s “Long Lines” network wirelessly linked cross-country phone and TV network traffic. Hard wires got replaced by microwave, now replaced by fiber optic, replaced by . . .
All this change enables progress but leaves some problems and people in it’s wake.
Briefly, this new digital work is a commentary on how ever evolving tech impacts people, cities and even today’s social isolations. Head over to my Facebook page for some additional artistic thoughts. On this web page I am focusing on the architecture and technology aspects.
In case you are wondering, this image is a camera captured photograph and not a Photoshop composited creation. It’s real. My camera captured all the odd light and heat reflections bouncing between perfectly aligned buildings, including lens flares bouncing inside my camera!
Architecturally, why is this 1950’s modern building, featuring a massive microwave line-of-sight tower, still even existing today. Note especially the tower is now surrounded by newer glass curtain wall skyscrapers on several sides. Why not cell antennas up there on AT&T? Hope you’ll enjoy the background reading. I found this interesting article about the Vintage AT&T building. Even more reading about the old abandoned Microwave towers and where they are.
In our urban centers we see quite a striking contrast of major architectural styles fixed in place (good or bad) for a very long time! High-rise buildings constructed of all glass skins as “machines for living” but what about our neighbor next door? Heat? Glare? Displaced people? Aesthetic harmony? Post COVID office building design ideas?
Perhaps there is a better way? In case you missed it, I wanted to share some very thought provoking ideas proposed in this recent article in the Washington Post, What Future Architecture Could Be. This talks about replacing major architecture movements with greener and a more flexible urban aesthetic. What’s next in architecture? Perhaps it is possible to make even a living and breathing building that interacts (in good ways) with it’s surroundings. Less green house – more green space.