lockmat Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 What do y'all think of UH architecture professor's Lotus Pavillion idea for the lake at Hermann Park? Quote "It has a gentility about it. It's almost not a building. It's a big floating lotus," Rifaat said. By day, the Lotus Pavilion would be open and airy to blend in with the surroundings. At night, it could change colors according to the season, with dramatic LED lighting. "Houston should have 10 (ideas) like (the Lotus Pavilion), not just one. We have to be a city that everywhere or anywhere you go, you have something of great interest and visual attraction. You could go from one icon to another." He envisions the Lotus Pavilion as a restaurant during the day and a rental space for weddings or special events at night — Houston's version of the famed Tavern on the Green in New York's Central Park. "This can be a money-making proposition for the park," Rifaat said. The cost? An open-air structure would cost around $2 million; it would take around $15 million to create a glassed-in, air-conditioned pavilion that could be rented out for events. http://www.culturemap.com/site_media/uploads/photos/2011-01-02/Glass_Pavilion_6.800w_600h.jpg http://www.culturemap.com/site_media/uploads/photos/2011-01-02/Glass_Pavilion_3.800w_600h.jpg http://www.culturemap.com/site_media/uploads/photos/2011-01-02/Glass_Pavilion_5_1.800w_600h.jpg http://www.culturemap.com/newsdetail/01-12-11-can-a-lotus-flower-building-bloom-in-hermann-park/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrnavid Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 That would bring more people to the Hermann Park area. I would have an event there! I hope they get funding correctly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Hmm. The water gets pretty muggy and stinky in the summer with all the waterfowl and algae blooms. It would have to be an enclosed, air-conditioned structure to be really useful. I think it's an interesting concept and would be another point of interest for the park, but it may be a hard sell at $15 million. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 That would bring more people to the Hermann Park area.That never seems to be a problem. Try to find parking on a nice Saturday or Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 That never seems to be a problem. Try to find parking on a nice Saturday or Sunday.Yep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Hermann Park is already kind of crowded. What about putting this in a new lake somewhere? Maybe one along Buffalo Bayou, or the ship channel.As the professor said, there should be lots of landmarks in Houston. His doesn't necessarily need to be in such a prime location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 I think the design would kind of work best set against an open pond, rather than in a channel with banks such as the bayou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 I think the design would kind of work best set against an open pond, rather than in a channel with banks such as the bayou.You're right. A rounded basin would work well with the object's basic structure. It wouldn't be too hard to find a nasty spot along the bayou that needs to be scooped out for pollution, or whatever, and turn it into a man-made lagoon with this thing in the middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highway6 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 You're right. A rounded basin would work well with the object's basic structure. It wouldn't be too hard to find a nasty spot along the bayou that needs to be scooped out for pollution, or whatever, and turn it into a man-made lagoon with this thing in the middle.I think part of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership's master plan, they envisioned replacing the Waugh cloverleaf with basically what you're describing. They also planned a big boat rental/ canoe launch there.However, one thing that would make this location worse than Herman Park would be lack of parking.,,, which would be a big factor if they want to rent this out as a party hall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houstonian in Iraq Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Agree, Herman Park gets to crowded. Was thinking maybe Allen's Landing (where Buffalo Bayou meets up with the other bayou), sure it may get a bit crowded on the water with tour boats and people canoeing by. And of course the water can get pretty bad after a hard rain. Still think It would be a cool additional thing to check out in downtown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 it looks like a calatrava wannabe. i agree that the location is bad; no need to overcrowd an already successful park. if millions of dollars are floating around waiting to be spent, let's create a significant park in midtown or reinvigorate the montrose blvd project and update/create park space along montrose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 it looks like a calatrava wannabe. More like a Gehry wannabe I should think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thStDad Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I wish IBM hadn't ruined the word Lotus for me. I bet it would be a cool word if not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 I like the location. Sure Hermann Park is crowded, that's a good thing. I think more people are a good thing. What a place to have dinner or a special event! Got the beautiful park to the north and the great TMC skyline to the south. It would be so nice to stroll in the park before and after dinner. Or to see a show at TUTS and then eat. I really like the idea of having the restaurant on the water, being surrounded by it, very nice.It would make it even more of a destination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Just curious if anyone knows the status of this. Did he present the revised design to the Conservancy?Also, I'll throw in my two cents regarding the crowds at Hermann Park. I live about eight blocks away and visit the park on a quasi-daily basis. It's my opinion that the park itself is not overcrowded, even on the weekends. What IS a problem is parking, however. The park is one of the central areas of Houston, yet its parking is pretty bad. While Memorial Park is the largest urban park in the core and Discovery Green is in Downtown, Hermann Park is - in my opinion - the city's central urban greenspace. It's located at the center of the Museum District - one of the city's key offerings for both residents and tourists. I think that the park needs more parking - regardless of any future construction of this lotus-like structure or any other development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arternative Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Hurricanes would tear this up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Just curious if anyone knows the status of this. Did he present the revised design to the Conservancy?Also, I'll throw in my two cents regarding the crowds at Hermann Park. I live about eight blocks away and visit the park on a quasi-daily basis. It's my opinion that the park itself is not overcrowded, even on the weekends. What IS a problem is parking, however. The park is one of the central areas of Houston, yet its parking is pretty bad. While Memorial Park is the largest urban park in the core and Discovery Green is in Downtown, Hermann Park is - in my opinion - the city's central urban greenspace. It's located at the center of the Museum District - one of the city's key offerings for both residents and tourists. I think that the park needs more parking - regardless of any future construction of this lotus-like structure or any other development.There's plenty of parking along and north of Hermann Dr. Even for well-attended events, I've rarely had to park north of Binz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Broadfoot Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I think the Lotus concept would be better utilized in the Japanese garden. Or at least a scaled down one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Screw this thing! I hope this never gets built. It's nice looking across the lake and enjoying a little slice of nature in the city. No need to mess up a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Prof. Rifaat's classes were always an easy "A." In case anyone here didn't know already, he designed the (relatively) new Tony's off Richmond Ave. in Greenway Plaza. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Screw this thing! I hope this never gets built. It's nice looking across the lake and enjoying a little slice of nature in the city. No need to mess up a good thing.I too like looking at 'nature in the city', but Hermann Park isn't that; it's a landscaped park. Memorial's a much better example of a natural setting in a city. I wouldn't at all object if this were built in Hermann. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I too like looking at 'nature in the city', but Hermann Park isn't that; it's a landscaped park. Memorial's a much better example of a natural setting in a city. I wouldn't at all object if this were built in Hermann.Even in sculpture, painting, and landscaping, sometimes less is more. This structure would monopolize one's attention along a great view corridor. It's too busy.The idea of a party barge in the lake is pretty nifty, though. Maybe there's something a little more understated that could be deployed and anchored in place only for special occasions, then retrieved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Even in sculpture, painting, and landscaping, sometimes less is more. This structure would monopolize one's attention along a great view corridor. It's too busy.The idea of a party barge in the lake is pretty nifty, though. Maybe there's something a little more understated that could be deployed and anchored in place only for special occasions, then retrieved.Well, I don't disagree with this. My statement wasn't meant to imply that this final design is to my liking - although I do like it - but instead meant to convey that I like the concept you've described, of which this is an example. It is, after all, only a concept at this stage; I'd much prefer that designs be solicited through an open competition, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchFan Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I think it's interesting, but as someone pointed out, not very practical. It wouldn't survive the next big storm blowing in off the gulf. Aside from that, it would require a lot of maintenance (like power washing and painting, at least) to keep it looking nice. Houston doesn't have a very good track record for maintaining public structures, once built. OTOH, I'm generally supportive of stuff like this, because I think Houston should start thinking big again ... it had that trait once, but seems to have lost it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Otto Mation) Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 elnina999 has added a photo to the pool: View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.