Chicagoist: Ask Chicagoist: Feminist Icon or Random Building?

thundercougarfalconbird

Wed, 16 May 2007 17:59:18 -0600

+1 to Cletus hehehe

Cletus Warhol

Wed, 16 May 2007 15:45:51 -0600

@TCFB- "Once you've experienced a massive structure composed of nine bundled tubes, you're not as impressed by skinny twizzled Newbs." Yeah OK, but at least it rhymes.

Chicago 2016

Wed, 16 May 2007 15:29:23 -0600

Hilarious. This was an absolute gem of a read. Please keep it up!

thundercougarfalconbird

Wed, 16 May 2007 14:26:24 -0600

I tried and tried and tried to construct some crude joke combining "Once you go black..." and the color of the Sears Tower, but I've just given up.

Cletus Warhol

Wed, 16 May 2007 14:22:48 -0600

Some Chicago Architecture book mentions that it's designed to give as many people as possible a lake view for their office, plus the shape is reminiscent of a boat sail (as mentioned in one of the links). I also recall reading somewhere that it was originally supposed to have an extra 30 stories, but the design was trimmed down in the midst of the early 80's recession. If it were 30 stories higher, it probably would seem less delightfully yonic, or to use one of my favorite obscure words in the world, vulviform. @Great Expectations- I heard that the Smurfit, while originally excited about the Spire, wishes it had a little bit more girth.

Great Expectations

Wed, 16 May 2007 12:33:46 -0600

I hear this building is excited, and a little nervous, about the Spire being built nearby.

sarah

Wed, 16 May 2007 10:22:07 -0600

we just had a fire drill inside the vag bldg. good clean fun.

Sarah

Wed, 16 May 2007 10:10:36 -0600

i'm writing this from inside the vag bldg and let me tell you it is not as fun inside as it is from the outside, contrary to popular vag opinion. the view is great tho anyway, even if the architects dismiss the vag interpretation, so what? art is all about response anyway.

papasmurf

Wed, 16 May 2007 09:41:18 -0600

More likely the shape is a sly reference to the cardboard boxes manufactored by Smurfit-Stone.

laura

Wed, 16 May 2007 09:07:43 -0600

Color me stupid. I am guilty of believing the hype. Why, oh why, can't it be the Vagina building? Such a nice story to tell out of town guests. Sigh.

matty

Wed, 16 May 2007 08:33:53 -0600

considering all tall buildings are phallic by default i see no reason why this can't be thought of as a vagina building. i mean, architecture is art, right? anyway, i remember it best in adventures in baby sitting.