Skyscraper in the shape of a mobile phone: A nostalgic reminder of old times or an architectural embarrassment?

(Patria) - When it was built in 1996, Torre Telefonica was the tallest building in Chile.

This 143-meter-high skyscraper in the center of the capital was the pride of the entire nation and symbolized the modernity of Santiago and its progressive vision for the future.

Today, it is an eyesore for many and is considered an architectural embarrassment. The main reason for this lies in its appearance.

Torre Telefonica, located at Avenida Providencia number 111, is the center of one of the largest telecommunications companies in Latin America - Movistar, and it has the shape of a monumental mobile phone.

Architect Mario Paredes and Arquitectos Asociados designed the building's appearance based on the most modern mobile devices of the early 1990s.

The skyscraper was built from concrete and steel between 1993 and 1996, with an investment of approximately 75 million US dollars.

The problem? What was modern 30 years ago in the mobile phone market can now only be seen in telecommunications museums.

The front of the building is divided into two parts - the larger one represents the keypad, and the smaller one represents the mobile phone screen. Torre Telefonica even has an antenna, writes Punkufer.

And while romantics claim that the 34-story skyscraper is a nostalgic reminder of the times before we had smartphones, others believe it is an architectural mistake that testifies that permanent structures should not be based on transient trends in technology.