Clusterfuck Nation

Clusterfuck Nation

Home
Notes
Contact / Bio
Eyesore of the Month
Podcast
Paintings by JHK
Books by JHK
Forecast
Archive
About

Share this post

Clusterfuck Nation
Clusterfuck Nation
February 2012 | Eyesore
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Eyesore of the Month

February 2012 | Eyesore

Architectural Abortions from the USA and Around the World (And Sometimes Other Miscellany Infecting the Landscape)

James Howard Kunstler's avatar
James Howard Kunstler
Feb 01, 2012
1

Share this post

Clusterfuck Nation
Clusterfuck Nation
February 2012 | Eyesore
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

Techno-grandiosity rears its sleek, mystifying surfaces in the proposal for Cornell University's new Tech Campus on Roosevelt Island, New York City designed by the corporate androids at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, LLP. The deployment on the ground is what we call "train-wreck urbanism." No street-and-block pattern. In fact, it is just an update of Corbusier's old towers-in-a-park motif (though the towers appear to have toppled onto their sides). This is the "green" update on Corbu, of course, with the tilted slab buildings oriented to the south for solar collection (or else they may simply roast the occupants within). Note, characteristic of Corbu-derived anti-urbanism, the "green space" surrounding the buildings is wholly ambiguous – while the tree plantings are arbitrary in the vain attempt to signify: "Nature Here!"
How much do we suck?

Thanks and shout-out to Meg Dahlgren for sending in this humdinger. She remarked wisely: "It seems that all an architect has to say is "green design," and all else is forgiven."


Subscribe to Clusterfuck Nation

By James Howard Kunstler · Thousands of paid subscribers
James Howard Kunstler’s Clusterfuck Nation blog is updated Mondays and Fridays. The KunstlerCast podcast and Eyesore of the Month are monthly features. Read & comment here.
Camille Good's avatar
1 Like
1

Share this post

Clusterfuck Nation
Clusterfuck Nation
February 2012 | Eyesore
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

Discussion about this post

User's avatar
The Great 'Splainin' Cometh
The meltdown has gotten so heavy liberal bureaucrats are ready to form antigovernment militias and fretting about black helicopters —Max Blumenthal
Nov 15, 2024 â€¢ 
James Howard Kunstler
1,063

Share this post

Clusterfuck Nation
Clusterfuck Nation
The Great 'Splainin' Cometh
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
725
How It Worked
"They never prepared for algorithms that could map everything. For personnel pre-positioned everywhere. For a president who counts every week like it's…
Feb 7 â€¢ 
James Howard Kunstler
825

Share this post

Clusterfuck Nation
Clusterfuck Nation
How It Worked
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
767
Kamala Unwinding
“. . . we are facing a catastrophic collapse of governance. With democracy reduced to a tragedy or a farce (probably both things). . . ." — Ugo Bardi
Oct 11, 2024 â€¢ 
James Howard Kunstler
970

Share this post

Clusterfuck Nation
Clusterfuck Nation
Kamala Unwinding
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
697

Ready for more?

© 2025 James Howard Kunstler
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

Create your profile

User's avatar

Only paid subscribers can comment on this post

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in

Check your email

For your security, we need to re-authenticate you.

Click the link we sent to , or click here to sign in.