The New 2 Columbus Circle

The new 2 Columbus Circle was unveiled to the public a few months ago. Since then, articles have been popping up occasionally about the new design and how it kind of, well, sucks. Paul Goldberger's most recent article in The New Yorker is a tad more sympathetic, yes, but I am most curious about what Nicolai Ouroussoff will have to say. Hear that Nicolai? I am waiting for your review with bated breath.

In the meantime, I will put in my two cents. Well, maybe not. Quite frankly, I have difficulty looking at this building objectively because it was one of the great preservation losses of the 21st century. While the new building's architect, Brad Cloepfil, may have chosen to put the original "lollipops" at the base of the building behind glass to preserve the memory of the Edward Durell Stone 2 Columbus Circle, it feels more like an intentional reminder of how a long and hard-fought battle was lost.

Interestingly enough, the friends that I've spoken to about the new building seem to really like it. After strolling around Columbus Circle a few times, I have finally discovered why: it's really shiny. Yes, apparently we cannot avoid that basic part of human nature even when it comes to architecture.