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The Big Bend
Street view, 2016. Digital print, 120 in. x 100 in. © ioannis oikonomou

THE BIG BEND

The story of "The Big Bend " follows a recent trend that has appeared in New York City: the emergence of myriad tall and slender residential skyscrapers. As the story unfolds, the reader is presented with a provocative thought. He or she is challenged to think of an alternate version of the city that seems to be ever-growing but only in height: "But what if we substituted height with length? What if our buildings were long instead of tall?"

Posted 20 March 2017

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THE STORY BEING BUILT
It seems that as soon as architects realized that they could construct anything, it became clear that the only way to achieve glory was to create their own unique versions of architecture. Prominent architecture became once again “one of a kind”. Authenticity through uniqueness became their ultimate goal. In their pursuit for originality architects have become accomplished storytellers of their buildings. But it has been a long time since architects lost the need of an existing building in order to tell a good story.
 
The people have taken over, and the minds of the people have become the real vessel where architects can now build their monuments. Cities have become a reservoir of emotions and symbolism, daily deposited by its inhabitants. Architects are now free from the old constraints and are ready to wrestle with a city fabric covered by layers on top of layers, made of meaning and memory.
 
Certain parts of the city tend to accumulate much more of that symbolism, making all those hidden emotions spill out whenever they are agitated. Through their own way of agitation architects are now capable of bringing about the inherent emotions of the city, achieving desirable attention for their work.
No more buildings, only stories !
There is a new frontier and architects are famous for their adaptability!
Ioannis Oikonomou, Architect - Founder
 
THE BIG BEND
There is an undeniable obsession that resides in Manhattan. It is undeniable because it is made to be seen. There are many different ways that can make a building stand out, but in order to do so the building has to literary stand out.
We have become familiar with building height measurements. We usually learn about the latest tallest building and we are always impressed by it’s price per square foot. It seems that a property’s height operates as a license for it to be expensive.

New York city’s zoning laws have created a peculiar set of tricks trough which developers try to maximize their property’s height in order to infuse it with the prestige of a high rise structure. But what if we substituted height with length? What if our buildings were long instead of tall? 
If we manage to bend our structure instead of bending the zoning rules of New York we would be able to create one of the most prestigious buildings in Manhattan. The longest building in the world. The Big Bend can become a modest architectural solution to the height limitations of Manhattan. We can now provide our structures with the measurements that will make them stand out without worrying about the limits of the sky.
 
OIIO
NEW YORK
52 West 27th street, New York, NY 10001, USA
+1 (3476) 562978
info@oiiostudio.com
http://www.oiiostudio.com
 

Interior, 2016. Digital print, 40 in. x 24 in. © ioannis oikonomou

Elevation 57th street, 2016. Digital print, 31 in. x 20.5 in. © ioannis oikonomou

Night View from Central Park, 2016. Digital print, 15 in. x 12 in. © ioannis oikonomou

Untitled, 2016. Ink on paper, 7.75 in. x 9.75 in. © ioannis oikonomou

   
Click here to download the file "THE_BIG_BEND.pdf".
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