The Fort Worth Star-Telegram had an interesting article about America’s favorite architecture, a website that lists all the usual suspects of buildings in our fair land. North Texas was left a bit wanting on the list, so the Telegram listed it’s own favorite buildings, the number one spot going to the Kimbell Art Museum designed by Louis Kahn. For those not familiar with the museum, let’s just say that Hitler would feel right at home in this shrine to concrete. So it is no surprise to me that Fort Worth’s famous bomb shelter didn’t make the list of favorite buildings. It is likely on many lists of important buildings, or influential buildings, but favorite? Please.
I grew up in Fort Worth and still live not all that far away, so I know all the buildings on this list. My personal favorite is The Flatiron Building. I seriously considered buying this building when it was for sale about twenty years ago. Ok, as seriously as a person with no money can consider buying a skyscraper. But it was only like a hundred thousand dollars or something and I thought, well, I could live on the top floor, put a bookstore on the second floor, convert part of the ground floor into parking of some kind. . .but then, wait for it, I didn’t buy it.
The Empire State Building is the number one building on the Favorite List, and I have no argument with that, it is a way cool looking building and a movie star. In fact most of the list is a kind of nod and think and, well, yeah. Then I got to #16-St. Regis Hotel, nod and wait a minute, where? #32 is another head scratcher-Wanamaker’s Department Store. And #43-Crane Library. #58 Ames Library? #62 should be out just for the name, 333 Wacker Drive. #97 The Federal Building at Islip, how can a federal building be popular? The list is also filled with ballparks, train stations and hotels of one sort or another. Not that I have anything against hotels, train stations, and ball parks, I’m just not sure how many of these places would make my list. But if we are going for popular, then I guess they have to be there. I don’t think I saw any Post Offices, which would have to be the most popular buildings in America. Nor were there any restaurants to speak of. The very idea that an airport can be popular is obscene, but they are represented on the list.
So maybe the good people at the Star Telegram are right, this list needs a bit of tweaking. But I would still leave off the Kimbell.
