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Rebranding Cities

Buildings are to cities as logos are to brands.  Buildings act as gateways to the culture and history of society in places large and small.  Their purposes over time range from pride and assertation (think the skyscraper race between the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building), to innovation (Eiffel Tower and the advancement of steel design), and to memorialization (the Taj Mahal is a tomb for Shah Jahan and his wife).  Without iconic structures, cities would lack the identity associated with them.  

After checking out Graham Smith’s Brand Reversions, it got me thinking - what if we switched the iconic buildings of cities?  How would it make us feel?  Does it inevitably change the city’s character?  Take a look for yourself!

The world’s tallest building in place of the world’s former tallest buidling.  And vice-versa - not so impressive anymore.  (Actually, leave it to Dubai to duplicate the Chrysler Building.  Twice!)

If the Gateway Arch is replaced by the Eiffel Tower, does that make St. Louis the most romantic city?

I think Paris would be beautiful with any structure…

Imagine going to Sydney and seeing Porto’s jewel, Casa da Musica by OMA, in place of Jorn Utzon’s sails of the Opera House.  What happened to site context, people?!

And finally, let’s get political.  Picture Cristo Rendentor looking over Manhattan.

And Lady Liberty in Rio.  She’s definitely overdressed.  Not so sexy.  

Iconic buildings tell the story of a city, and anything different would just make it fiction.