New air traffic control tower, for those of you who like 'em

[John B]

We're getting a new one. billhammond, the next time you're driving to see family, you can stop by and see it. Be sure to come early enough to eat at The Hangar (breakfast and lunch only).

From the free part of the local paper:

COLUMBUS, Ind. — Columbus Municipal Airport officials unveiled the design for the new Air Traffic Control Tower Tuesday morning. The design is from Marlon Blackwell Architects, and is supported through the Cummins Foundation Architecture Program.

Columbus Municipal Airport’s first air traffic control tower was built in 1942, made of wood. The next came in 1954, this time made of metal. The airport’s newest 128-foot tower, the design of which was unveiled on Tuesday, will be made of steel and aluminum, described as “kaleidoscope of light.”

City and state officials, current and former airport employees and the public gathered outside near the shadow of the existing tower and in the basic footprint of the new tower to celebrate the airport’s history, those who contributed to it and the future.

Construction on the $11 million tower is slated to begin in May of 2025 with completion in the spring of 2027, Airport Director Brian Payne said.

For the complete story and more photos, see Wednesday’s print edition or check back at therepublic.com.

www.archpaper.com/2024/06/marlon-blackwell-architects-air-traffic-control-tower-columbus-indiana/

www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/16975-marlon-blackwell-architects-reveals-design-for-new-air-traffic-control-tower-at-indianas-columbus-municipal-airport

[howard lee]

It looks like a big futuristic electric beard clipper.

[Marshall]

Ha ha ha.

Well said, Howard.

Whatever happened to; Form bears some resemblance to function?

[drlj]

Wow. Beard trimmer indeed.
I was in a tower during a busy session once. It made me realize how lucky we are to land safely.

[howard lee]

Jul 7, 2024 9:23:39 GMT -5 Marshall said:

Ha ha ha.

Well said, Howard.

Whatever happened to; Form bears some resemblance to function?

It may have faded slowly in the decades after Louis Sullivan died, Marshall, propelled into the future by architects like Frank Gehry.

[John B]

Jul 7, 2024 9:23:39 GMT -5 Marshall said:

Ha ha ha.

Well said, Howard.

Whatever happened to; Form bears some resemblance to function?

We have those, too. Like this brutalist elementary school designed by Eliot Noyes.



You can read all about it - that is, if you like architecture. I already have my copy; the book launch is going to be at our Eero Saarinen church about to be repurposed into a library branch. Cover of the book shows our Eliel Saarinen church.



columbus.in.us/american-modern-book-launch/


www.amazon.com/American-Modern-Architecture-Community-Columbus/dp/1580936121

[Marshall]

Ahhh. Brutalist Elementary School. It has a ring to it.

I’m aware of many lovely examples of architecture in Columbus.

[billhammond]

Jul 7, 2024 12:43:14 GMT -5 Marshall said:

Ahhh. Brutalist Elementary School.

A Catholic school, no doubt.

[TKennedy]

Waste of taxpayer money compared to something functional like this-

[John B]

Jul 7, 2024 21:48:57 GMT -5 TKennedy said:

Waste of taxpayer money compared to something functional like this-

If you zoom in on the third pic, you can see the existing tower (that looks a whole lot like the one you posted).

But what happens when visiting dignitaries need a shave?

[Marshall]

Jul 7, 2024 10:15:32 GMT -5 howard lee said:

Jul 7, 2024 9:23:39 GMT -5 Marshall said:

Ha ha ha.

Well said, Howard.

Whatever happened to; Form bears some resemblance to function?

It may have faded slowly in the decades after Louis Sullivan died, Marshall, propelled into the future by architects like Frank Gehry.

True. And part of the “function” of artistic architecture is to lift up and inspire the people who interact with it. But not to the detriment of the purpose of the building. So this might function well as a tower, but the thing looks robot like and without much grace. Air-flight is a graceful endeavor. In aircraft design form truly must follow function. It might be nice for the tower to take inspiration from flight itself.

But that’s just me.

[Cosmic Wonder]

Weird, Is the architect a alcoholic?

Mike

[John B]

Jul 7, 2024 22:15:17 GMT -5 Marshall said:

Jul 7, 2024 10:15:32 GMT -5 howard lee said:

It may have faded slowly in the decades after Louis Sullivan died, Marshall, propelled into the future by architects like Frank Gehry.

True. And part of the “function” of artistic architecture is to lift up and inspire the people who interact with it. But not to the detriment of the purpose of the building. So this might function well as a tower, but the thing looks robot like and without much grace. Air-flight is a graceful endeavor. In aircraft design form truly must follow function. It might be nice for the tower to take inspiration from flight itself.

But that’s just me.

I hate to say it, but the design looks a little like the emblem for the ladies' room.

[Marshall]

I see a robot

[Rob Hanesworth]

It looks a little like a Patriot anti-missile battery if that top swivels.

[millring]

Jul 8, 2024 3:24:31 GMT -5 John B said:

Jul 7, 2024 22:15:17 GMT -5 Marshall said:

True. And part of the “function” of artistic architecture is to lift up and inspire the people who interact with it. But not to the detriment of the purpose of the building. So this might function well as a tower, but the thing looks robot like and without much grace. Air-flight is a graceful endeavor. In aircraft design form truly must follow function. It might be nice for the tower to take inspiration from flight itself.

But that’s just me.

I hate to say it, but the design looks a little lot like the emblem for the ladies' room.

[david]

An example of a stupid idea gaining enough financial support to become the reality that the public has to live with. It makes me wonder how ugly the other proposed designs were and/or what the design approval process was.

Portland has a similar debacle: it's most expensive art project, called "Inversion: Plus Minus."

[james]

I think it's a good looking design. I like it.

[Marty]

That would make an intimidating prison.

[Marshall]

Jul 7, 2024 22:26:46 GMT -5 Cosmic Wonder said:

Weird, Is the architect a alcoholic?

Mike

Aren’t they all?