Is Commercial Architecture Ruining St. Petersberg's Skyline?

Are commercial architects ruining St. Petersberg's historic panoramic views as a result of penny-pinching investors?

1 minute read

November 20, 2005, 1:00 PM PST

By Brenda Meyer


"...Investors have their own concepts of what is beautiful. Architects are often heard complaining that their clients, flying in the face of common sense and even economic factors, insist on their own, unprofessional, architectural flights of fancy. The second major factor is purely technical in nature. At present, architects are often selected not on the basis of their talent, but on their abilities in the business sphere. An ability to get their designs approved by the relevant authorities, for example, is highly valued, as is an ability to professionally put together the design plans in a very short time frame. What the building will actually look like is often a secondary concern for investors. The end result? Visually unappealing buildings."

Tuesday, November 15, 2005 in The St. Petersburg Times

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