ExxonMobil Building - Houston, Texas
Posted by: 
JimmyEv
N 29° 45.231 W 095° 22.161
15R E 270886 N 3293862
Built in 1963 at 606 feet, Welton Becket & Assoc. infused Exxon’s divisional headquarters with all the utilitarian flair and subtle sculptural qualities of the best international-style buildings.
Waymark Code: WM3VW4
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/24/2008
Views: 87
Admittedly, like
Marina City in Chicago, many consider this one of the ugliest buildings in Houston. But the beauty is in the engineering - everything about the building is functional. It’s hard to believe that an energy company in 1963 would be worried about saving energy, but the building was specifically designed for the harsh sun of Houston’s notoriously horrid summers. Windows are set back, to avoid direct sunlight, and the effects of the sun were further mitigated by horizontal bands of aluminum fins encircling the building.
The top two floors, without protection from the sun’s rays, don’t hold office space; this is home to the Petroleum Club - where the wheelers and dealers (think JR Ewing) of the energy industry meet, making and breaking good ole’ boy deals that ultimately dictate how much you’re paying at the pump. For two years, the building was the tallest west of the Mississippi, and was outfitted with the pre-requisite observation deck on top. The deck was closed in 1971 with the erection of the still-taller One Shell Plaza.
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