What are the 10 most essential buildings in Philadelphia?

[MarketStEl]

Agree completely. I was wondering when this would be brought out. I agree with the rest of your list save #9, which I'd swap out for the 2300 block of St. Albans' Street (AKA the Sixth Sense garden block). That plus the two Madison Sq blocks are some of the coolest places in any city.

Forgot about those. I'd be willing to accept that trade.

Youse guys got such a boner for PSFS. Sure, it's an important building in terms of the progression of architecture, but I honestly think it's kind of ugly.

A chacun son goût. I think it's quite handsome. But keep in mind that my putting One Liberty on the list was likewise a judgement on its significance, not its attractiveness. Agreed, however, that the Mellon Bank Center is the best-looking of the new crop of skyscrapers, though I think you could make almost as strong a case for 1717 Arch (nee Bell Atlantic Tower). However:

Starbucks broad & Jackson

Really?

Other than that I suspect it's near you, why this over any of a thousand other Starbucks locations in this city?

Save the Victory Building and a Starbucks comes with it.

[Colin P. Varga]

Youse guys got such a boner for PSFS. Sure, it's an important building in terms of the progression of architecture, but I honestly think it's kind of ugly.

Ugly, maybe, but essential. It still has it's original clocks when you get off the elevator, pride of place, skyline, etc. I would also say the Furness Library at Penn is rather ugly, or at least off-putting, but it represents a landmark, it's unique, Philly Architect born and buried in Philly, etc.

Also the Hill House and Society Hill Towers might be two of the most anti-urban buildings ever constructed in Philadelphia. ****, the Guild House is more street friendly, and it's about as attractive as Hill.

I think Art Museum should be a freebie with City Hall/Indy Hall, so I'm not including that. In no order

University of Penn Museum (can't believe no one mentioned this)

U. of Penn Museum... The original part is worthy of a list, but as a whole it's unfinished. The Louis Kahn wing is well, not that great. While I worked there that wing was not properly joined to the original design and area leaked like a river. Also, this wing took away a central access to some of the collections limiting what could be taken out of storage. Hence, several umiaks are stuck permanently in storage. The newest wing looks like fine addition and more inline with the original design.

Merchant Exchange/Germantown Township Hall clone
The Drake
ESP
Founders Hall
Centennial Hall
Conwell/Carnell Halls
2nd Bank of the US
Mellon Center (best of big jawns)
Any remaining Furness buildings (PAFAFisher is great, but they're all important)

[annie]

This thread needs photos.

[ShoshTrvls]

I can't believe anyone put Society Hill Towers on this list; you might as well put the one remaining Southwark highrise on it. They aren't that different.

[2happy4u]

Forgot about those. I'd be willing to accept that trade.



A chacun son goût. I think it's quite handsome. But keep in mind that my putting One Liberty on the list was likewise a judgement on its significance, not its attractiveness. Agreed, however, that the Mellon Bank Center is the best-looking of the new crop of skyscrapers, though I think you could make almost as strong a case for 1717 Arch (nee Bell Atlantic Tower). However:



Really?

Other than that I suspect it's near you, why this over any of a thousand other Starbucks locations in this city?

Save the Victory Building and a Starbucks comes with it.

Well it's the only one in south Philly besides 9th & south. IMO it has the best tasting coffee and the friendliest staff. It is probably the anchor store of the little mall.

[MarketStEl]

I can't believe anyone put Society Hill Towers on this list; you might as well put the one remaining Southwark highrise on it. They aren't that different.

IMO they're different enough. I like the rhythm of I.M. Pei's towers. Southwark is more or less typical public housing clunkiness.

As I said, though, a chacun son goût. Including my own.

[OffenseTaken]

I can't believe anyone put Society Hill Towers on this list; you might as well put the one remaining Southwark highrise on it. They aren't that different.

I guess a pyramid in Egypt and the one in the middle of the Louvre "aren't that different" either, if ignoring details is your thing.

[OffenseTaken]

a chacun son goût

Respectfully, I have to disagree: I think taste can be argued. For example, I'm pretty adamant about putting Society Hill Towers (hereafter, S.Hi.T.) on the top-10 list, but Thoth or ShoshTrvls or someone else could disabuse me of my admiration. I included it in part because even decent "MCM" design, let alone an outstanding example of it, is conspicuously hard to find in this city. But hey, maybe that's a lousy justification: there are better examples of concrete pilotis elsewhere, and maybe Philadelphia is just not an MCM town. And that parking lot next to the fountain sucks.

[carloss]

Very informative responses (mostly) thus far; we really could/should do a separate thread on the ten most important residential blocks.

Again, a reminder: assume you've already been given City Hall and Independence Hall as freebies.

Conwell/Carnell Halls

Really? So many fine examples of brutalism on Temple's campus and you went with those?

[supersupper]

Oldest, Largest, and most beautiful Meeting in Phily (untill Chestnutt Hill's is completed). I love the Quakers


I don't know why I love this thing, but it has always captured my imagination.


Rendell's crowning achievement


We all love this thing


People totally underestimate how lucky we are to have this station still intact



I love the piers. Architecturally not significant, but significant for my imagination


Same as above, except this really should become America's equivalent of the Tate Modern



The person I bought my home from ended up living here. He had good taste so I'd be remiss to include the Drake.


Just awesome. Say no more.


Philly's equivalent of the Twin Towers. If they were to disappear they'd be mourned the most of any philly building(s).


And finally, the most perfect interaction in Philly of OLD v NEW:

[five apples]

I don't understand how Independence Hall doesn't make everyone's list. It is our most important historical landmark and greatest tourist draw, as well as being a very pretty building and what must have been a very impressive structure for its day.

I think it is too hard to narrow it down to ten. But I think City Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art have to be on any list simply because of their importance culturally and historically to the city. There are so many other little buildings too that most people don't think about but that have great historical importance in American History, such as Carpenter's Hall. Though very small, it is where it all began, and it all began here.

[supersupper]

It is important as history, but merely mediocre visually, if not weirdly mediocre.

[five apples]

It is important as history, but merely mediocre visually, if not weirdly mediocre.

How so? I would also argue that it is perhaps the most iconic structure in the old USA. Because you don't like how it looks doesn't mean much to be frank, everyone is an architect after all (people wanted to tear down City Hall and Furness was considered a failure in his time). How does it, even if you are right that it is visually mediocre, not qualify as an essential building? I walk buy it almost every day since I work very close to it. It is, at least outside of winter, crawling with tourists. As far as economic impact on this city, it has to be one our greatest assets.

[supersupper]

A bathroom stall is essential.

The signers of the Declaration of Independence could have signed that piece of paper anywhere and still end up with the United States of America.

... so that stall caddy-corner to IH is more pertinet per this thread's title than IH. (sure, you will say you can poop anywhere, but people generally wont let you do that).

Iconic IH is, but only iconic via its familiarity. It is a mish-mash of styles, and not very interesting architecturally.

[OffenseTaken]

I don't understand how Independence Hall doesn't make everyone's list. It is our most important historical landmark and greatest tourist draw, as well as being a very pretty building and what must have been a very impressive structure for its day.

I think it is too hard to narrow it down to ten. But I think City Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art have to be on any list simply because of their importance culturally and historically to the city. There are so many other little buildings too that most people don't think about but that have great historical importance in American History, such as Carpenter's Hall. Though very small, it is where it all began, and it all began here.

It is important as history, but merely mediocre visually, if not weirdly mediocre.

How so? I would also argue that it is perhaps the most iconic structure in the old USA. Because you don't like how it looks doesn't mean much to be frank, everyone is an architect after all (people wanted to tear down City Hall and Furness was considered a failure in his time). How does it, even if you are right that it is visually mediocre, not qualify as an essential building? I walk buy it almost every day since I work very close to it. It is, at least outside of winter, crawling with tourists. As far as economic impact on this city, it has to be one our greatest assets.

The signers of the Declaration of Independence could have signed that piece of paper anywhere and still end up with the United States of America.

... so that stall caddy-corner to IH is more pertinet per this thread's title than IH. (sure, you will say you can poop anywhere, but people generally wont let you do that).

Iconic IH is, but only iconic via its familiarity. It is a mish-mash of styles, and not very interesting architecturally.

One of the ground rules (Post #1) was that Ind. Hall and City Hall are both freebies.

[supersupper]

10. One Liberty Place, for the sole reason that it was the building that gave Philadelphia permission to create a real skyline

Shame on you. It falls in the same category as IH.

[five apples]

One of the ground rules (Post #1) was that Ind. Hall and City Hall are both freebies.

Well than, the list gets significantly harder. I have tired eyes these days.

[carloss]

Number 5 on my list: once Sam Rappaport's loveliest ruin, now the city's prettiest building to house a Starbucks.



Number 7, because you don't find gothic just anywhere in this city:




Number 9:

[thoth]

Respectfully, I have to disagree: I think taste can be argued. For example, I'm pretty adamant about putting Society Hill Towers (hereafter, S.Hi.T.) on the top-10 list, but Thoth or ShoshTrvls or someone else could disabuse me of my admiration. I included it in part because even decent "MCM" design, let alone an outstanding example of it, is conspicuously hard to find in this city. But hey, maybe that's a lousy justification: there are better examples of concrete pilotis elsewhere, and maybe Philadelphia is just not an MCM town. And that parking lot next to the fountain sucks.

Far be it from me to derail this thread with S.Hi.T talk, but...I'm going to do it anyway:

My problem is less with the aesthetics (although as Shosh indicated, there is room for critique there) and more with the way the buildings integrate with the rest of the city. Or more accurately, how they don't integrate.

They blew up iconic Dock Street and its associated commercial street life to build three towers for young rich people on a ****ing artificial hill. And rerouted 2nd Street in the process! It helped legitimize the nascent idea that cities could continue to be relevant by adopting suburban elements, like the separation of people, classes and building uses.

They're obviously not wholly negative, but when I start thinking about what could have been...It's like Independence Mall. The damage to street life and surrounding neighborhoods is too much for me to ever look fondly upon those buildings, even if they are a notable part of the skyline.

[supersupper]

The house Robert Venturi designed for his mother in Chestnut Hill

I was thinking of that as well, but its not really essential as nearly no one ever sees it or interacts with it.