This was a student project by Howard Friend for Kay Bea Jones's ARCH 784 course, Spring 2008. Project statement: Since gender is a cultural construct, this project will revisit the Chicago Tribune Tower Competition, (1922 and 1980), to explore how the contemporary notion of male and female are incorporated in American Architecture. Gender and architecture will be studied to create a dialog to define architecture that identifies itself as being sexy. Gender is not purely based on biological factors. In today's society, social, cultural, physical, psychological, and emotional factors are more a determinant. As a society that strives for equality amongst its constituents, there remains sentiment against homosexuality, same sex marriage, trans-gender and cross dressing. Multiple constructs of gender identity serves to blur conventional boundaries between social groups and individuals. To investigate this topic, the project will examine two popular gendered magazines, Cosmopolitan and Sports Illustrated for their gender constraints and the symbols and spaces that accommodate them. The idea for the design project is focused around two building typologies, one feminine and one masculine. The two skyscrapers become separated y a landscape that becomes a continuous wrapper of the exterior shell of the building. This landscape starts to create a tension between the two. In section the spaces are divided into zones that enable the program to become assorted in nature.
