The architectural renown of Pennzoil Place and reflections in the mirrored glass deflect attention from the unsavory environmental and geopolitical implications of the oil industry in which the towers are complicit. We, therefore, propose that Pennzoil Place be decommissioned.
Pennzoil Place stands as an icon in the Houston skyline. The celebrated work of Philip Johnson serves as a monument to the oil economy and currently houses dozens of various companies related to the oil and gas industries including Shell and Pennzoil. The revenue and production of these companies continue to increase despite indications of increasing environmental and societal harm due to reliance on fossil fuels. The accumulation of CO2 is connected to intensifying hurricanes and climate change which has been felt locally in recent years. Hurricane Harvey resulted in over 68 deaths and 125 billion dollars in damage. The architectural renown of Pennzoil Place and reflections in the mirrored glass deflect attention from the unsavory environmental and geopolitical implications of which the towers are complicit.
We, therefore, propose that Pennzoil Place be decommissioned. A new production restraint clause will be introduced to the current tenants invoking spatial taxation based on changes in the U.S. oil production rate. A decrease in U.S. oil production will be required, and non-compliant corporations will be forced to dedicate a relative portion of office space to CO2 storage. The employees will be faced with adapting to the intersection of the existing office and the storage tanks. The corporations will ultimately self-cannibalize as corporations battle this production restraint and the spatial tax continues to reduce their functional capacity in the office. The CO2 tanks will permeate the mirrored facade of the towers revealing the physical implications of unrestrained growth and production. Pennzoil Place will ultimately be transformed into a counter-symbol representative of the necessity in reducing our reliance on oil.