No matter what the company did, those 2 buildings are the best! I think its 1200 Smith, the older one, is a 50 story high-rise with all mirrored glass, then 1500 Louisiana is a 46-48 high-rise. They have an all glass sky walk connecting the two. Its awesome!

1400 Smith (the old one): 50 floors
691 ft.
built in 1983
Designed by Lloyd Jones Brewer & Associates
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=117649

1500 Louisiana (the new one): 40 floors
600 ft.
built in 2002
Designed by Cesar Pelli
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=100445

Personally I like the new one better.

I agree these buildings are very cool. I to think the second one is the better of the two.

I love these two also. Here are more pics.

Texas Boy, Man those night pics are awesome. Who took the shots?

Looks like they were taken from the Petroleum Club, in the Exxon Building.

Awesome Pix. Texasboy!

Looks almost "Blade Runner" -like.........especially the first one.

Where did you get these? Are there more?

m.

Judging by the link I would think they were taken by John Huff. I remember them being posted on SSC a long time ago.

Didn't ChevronTexaco buy the newer tower?

Yup. They're moving in.

When the first Enron building was constructed, I jokingly called it the "Bic Building", because it resembled the disposable lighter of that name. I used to draw cartoons of the Houston skyline and show a butane flame on one end of it.

The great thing about the Pelli adjunct is that it makes the original look like an afterthought. Even better, when you're on Smith Street, the 'fins' on the 1963 Exxon Building match up so neatly with the new Enron building. In itself it's a lovely building; that it compliments its setting, and respects its elders, is genius.

I also heard it referred to as "Tupperware Tower" because of the shape.

I agree on the second Enron building. It echoes the original without exactly copying it, and it works well with the Exxon building also. I like the way the tower section is set at the same angle as the original building, while the bottom section (trading floors) is aligned with the downtown street grid. To me it is one of the best buildings downtown. Interestingly, they solicited ideas from a lot of firms on the design, although I don't know if it was a formal competition. They had an exhibit of the proposals in the lobby once. Compared to the proposals by other architects, the Pelli one really seeemed the best.