This building houses the unusual artifacts that Ripley is known for, and for an unknown reason this architectural eyesore is in the shape of a fallen Empire State Building with a large plastic King Kong standing on it. Conceptually mysterious, the building is part of the garish Niagara Falls city plan, which is all aimed at tourism not culture.
Comments
WayneJanuary 6, 2011
Personally I like it, the architecture is easily as interesting as anything being done recently in Canadian cities like Toronto and Calgary. Your “critique” kind of sounds like someone who looks down upon anything that is designed to appeal to a mass audience. This sort of elitism is fine, but doesn’t age well.
cynthia hathawayJanuary 7, 2011
Sadly, Niagra Falls is a Las Vegas, and as Las Vegas this architecture fits. I think it is the combination of the great beauty of the Falls and this commercial strip just behind your back that is disturbing. The choice to combine the two or at least have them within walking distance fits within consumptive behaviour in our Western Culture. Even Nature is something we think we have the right to consume/experience as entertainment. Without the Falls, Ripley would not be there, and may I say that without Ripley the Falls would not be there?