Comments update: Bjarke Ingels' firm hit the headlines this week after unveiling its design for a New York skyscraper wrapped by a ribbon of green terraces. Does the proposal mark a new direction for the city's high-rise architecture, or is it simply over-hyped"
BIG spiral: Called The Spiral, BIG's 65-storey glass tower will feature a series of landscaped balconies that form a continuous garden pathway around the building ? a progression from the firm's staggered terrace design for Two World Trade Center.
"I'm sorry but [it is] a lame concept that is even worse than Two World Trade Center," wrote Chris. "The reality is the gardens will be unusable and windswept."
"A very dark moment," added Qui-Gon Gin. "Narratives have replaced the art of architecture." Many defended the design and pointed out that skyscrapers incorporating green spaces might be commonplace around the world in the near future. But others mocked the promotional video.
"BIG's Two World Trade Center tower never convinced me, but this I love," concluded a guest commenter. "I hope it will be executed well." Read the comments on this story »

Golden touch: Zaha Hadid became the first woman to be awarded the RIBA Gold Medal in her own right last week and used the illustrious occasion to defend her architecture, which she believes is "widely misunderstood" by the mainstream.
"History will look kindly on Zaha Hadid," ...