I.M. Pei's Silver Towers Complex Landmarked

The first post-war urban renewal superblock development in New York City to be landmarked! OK, so personally I find this complex to be a bit of an eyesore, even though it looks very angelic and glow-y with the light shining on it the way it does in the above picture (taken from www.nyc-architecture.com). However! Landmarking is not only about aesthetics, and this group of buildings represents a historic time in New York City and the US's history. Plus, the architect (I.M. Pei) is superfamous and a "master" of high modernist architecture. Perhaps his most familiar work is the Louvre Pyramid.

Part of designating the complex also included landmarking this enormous Picasso sculpture (picture also taken from www.nyc-architecture.com):



NYU, who owns the area, had been hoping to build a 40-story tower in the open space of the complex. Hopefully the language used in the landmark designation report (which will talk about the importance of open space) will make this construction very unlikely (haha, NYU!).