Union Steel Building

Squat and heavy, the Union Steel corporate headquarters gives the impression of a medieval fortress - a building made to both protect its secrets and intimidate its rivals. The wide arch that covers the massive doorway is hardly welcoming -- instead seeming like a portcullis that may slam shut at any second in preparation for a siege. Sneering gargoyles leer down from the steeply-pitched Gothic rooftoops. Intricate mason work along the colonnades and the arched windows add to the medieval, cathedral-like exterior. The interior is as dark and brooding as the exterior, with small rooms and windows that - despite their size - don't seem to let in much light. The architectural design mixes medieval-style heavy masonry with modern steel framing - creating a Frankenstein's monster of a building that hunches gloomily over the clean, broad streets below it.