During September's pet month here at Apartment Therapy, we've seen fun pet alternatives and gorgeous animal-inspired items for the home. Here in Austin, rumors have popped up about possible animal-inspired architecture in our city---and we've gathered some photos as evidence. Decide for yourself after the jump...
Look: Animal-Inspired Architecture
Austin
Some claim they can't see it, but it's hard to deny that when looking at our iconic Frost Tower from an angle, the face of an owl looks unmistakable. Many people try to guess as to why the building may have been built to look like an owl, but the fact remains that the Frost Bank logos that make up the eyes of the owl were added to the building after the original design was finished---casting doubt that any feathery resemblance was intentional.
As if one owl in a city weren't enough, the Main Building of the University of Texas also (from the right angle and in the right light) gives off the appearances of an owl. The rumor here is that a graduate student designed the building to resemble his former school's (Rice University) mascot. This information has never been confirmed, however.
Lastly we come to our very own City Hall, which was completed in the Fall of 2004 and was designed by the famous Antoine Predock, in association with Cotera, Kolar, Negrete, and Reed. Modern and beautiful, the building contains lots of sharp edges, interesting angles and gorgeous terraces. It also features a piece of the building that juts out onto 2nd Street, which some have said resembles an armadillo tail---long considered an informal mascot of Austin.
What do you think about these buildings? Can you see their animal resemblance? Any Austin residents know of some buildings I've missed? What are the buildings in your own city that seem to be inspired by animals?
[Photo credit: Opening photo from rerevealed.com; Frost Tower Owl by Flickr user JIMWICh; Main Building of The University of Texas photo from wikipedia.com; City Hall photos from Flickr user I am K.E.B. ]
Tags
AT Austin, Look!, history, inspiration, Animals in architecture, Antoine Predock, Austin City Hall, Frost Bank Tower, UT Main BuildingRelated Links
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As a Texas native and friend to scores of UT Austin students, I've heard that the Frost tower is the one designed by a Rice alum in the style of his college mascot. The tower is visible from UT's football stadium, with the implication that the Longhorns can never quite escape the Owls...
view bren03's profile
The student union on the campus of the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is supposed to look like a gopher, the school's mascot. Sometimes if I squint I can see it...
I didn't catch the owl-like buildings until about 10 seconds later. Way to go, me! ):
view eccentriffic's profile
the first one did look like an owl---the other two do not, to me, look like animals or parts of animals. Sorry.
view poptart's profile
The library on my campus (University of Toronto) is a turkey...or a peacock if you're feeling generous.
Side view of the building: http://www.library.utoronto.ca/engineering-computer-science/news_bulletin/images/robarts.jpg
And front view: http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/brutalism_01.jpg
view westie's profile
I think the new Terminal 3 at the Beijing airport resembles a dragon. (At least that was one of the concepts behind it.)
view hessilou's profile
I'm going against Frost Tower being animal-inspired - the same architect did Pier One headquarters in Fort Worth and the roof has a very similar assembly. They really like putting glass hats on their buildings.
view NathanSE's profile
bren03, I think you have it wrong I heard that rumor about the UT tower years ago before the Frost tower even existed.
I think from a distance (I35) and an angle at night (because of lighting) the UT tower really does look like an owl. The Frost Bank tower not so much (to me).
Also, I read recently (but can't recall where-maybe a local magazine) the inspiration for city hall was an actual armadillo tail jutting out of a rocky wall or something like that that the architect saw while touring parts of Austin.
view SarahinATX's profile
reminds me of the state law building (a.k.a gotham tower) in brisbane. as a child i referred to it as the 'puppy dog building'
http://flickr.com/photos/stephenk1977/464956314/
view alicee's profile
An owl? I'll have to pay more attention. I've always thought that the Frost Bank tower looks like a nose hair trimmer.
view elizgonz's profile
I don't see the owls at all. Maybe I'm just not imaginative enough.
But whenever I see the Frost Bank building, I think of venomous spider fangs.
view jamiealyse's profile
i always think of an owl when i see it..
view explauren's profile