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arche_757

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Everything posted by arche_757

  1. arche_757
    Really? I mean really? This coming from a guy who drives a porsche. No. Yao's serves as a reminder that most of us couldn't care less about eating at some athletes dinner. We want to see them play, not eat some food a mediocre chef creates for a mediocre restaurant. The Pavillions was poorly designed, and on the wrong side of Downtown. Blame the original developer for that.
  2. arche_757
    Look at who is driving those developments in Asia. Here in the states we have to have cost conscious design. Developers must of course be able to charge a reasonable fee to tennants. The only time we'll see dazzling architecture is when its a corporate building for XYZ Corporation. See Exxon's new campus in Spring Woods.... the "main" building is an architecturally interesting (and structurally VERY interesting) cantilivered design. Exxon did that. Hines or TrammelCrow wouldn't for speculative purposes. 609 and the new Dallas 20something building are about as much as we can expect. and then there is Amegy's "masterpiece" of architecture!
  3. arche_757
    Initially yes, but as the design matures then these "laws" you speak of come into play. I'd be much more surprised if Holl doesn't have a senior architect (or several) on board this project that isn't making sure the technical side of things will actually work and can actually be built! It is not like he hasn't done this before all over the world. But guess what... Holl, and others like him ARE who they are because of their crazy ideas and floating spaces. Practical architects toil away for years and years with narry a magazine article devoted to them, and most move on with seldom a concern about preserving any of their designs.
  4. arche_757
    Lower right-hand corner is the ATT building folks were talking about on a different thread.... proof that there is something smaller, and older hidden there. Interesting photo of 800 Bell. I think moving Municipal Courts and HPD there certainly solve several problems.
  5. arche_757
    Driving around town today for a few projects.... This would have been interesting over close to the old commercial area of the Heights (not on anything historic, but perhaps in place of some CVS or run-down Krogers). Every time I go to that area I'm always surprised there are several residential highrises (and a hospital) over there. You never see them unless your in the Heights.
  6. arche_757
    It really isn't as bad as people are saying! Yes, it isn't as interesting as the previous design (though really did any of you expect a retractable roof HOTEL to be built?) That said - people saying "Austin or Dallas get better hotels..." - wrong! This thing looks just like buildings in both of those cities (similar design features and architectural styles). Decry the loss of the Glassell School (even though we are getting a nice replacement for it) but don't cry over some spilled milk about having this hotel rather than that thin little blue-glass building. And like someone said above "the interior of this hotel is what is important." I wonder if the uproar would be so loud if it had a ......... "W" on it? Doubtful. We should be glad someone who knows what the heck they are doing is investing in this soon to otherwise be dead development.
  7. arche_757
    Article was posted last week in post 232.
  8. arche_757
    So they moved away from... the proposed field house/gymnasium in that location? Or was I mistaken that the east grandstands were to be partially replaced by that proposed field house/gymnasium at some point?
  9. arche_757
    Please differentiate who your are calling a "weiner" when addressing two different responses from two different people.
  10. arche_757
    You must have had an unpleasant experience while staying there? Otherwise what basis do you have for thinking Conde Nast is wrong?
  11. arche_757
    Its not that we (the USA) are becomming more bland... its that we're being given tv/radio/news/books/media/design/etc. etc. that has been "dumbed" down. Case in point: The History Channel. 5 years ago they had actual historical documentaries, programs exploring historical events/places/people, fast forward and today we have "Pawn Stars" and their ilk. Sad. Yet its a transformation we're all too happy to embrace. I mean in 1946 we watched sporting events live, movies were only shown on theatre screens and mass media was mostly distributed in a format that HAD to be read, or at least listened to. Also, it was societal norm for people to simply be more formal in dress, interactions, talk... Today we have access to everything we need on a palm sized tablet. This is moving the masses (as a whole) towards a far less formal society, and also towards one where IF you need something - there is a specialized place online where it exists.
  12. arche_757
    ^True. Although some "starchitects" can design within the context of the neighborhood better than the locals. Just look at the Menil. Groundbreaking. I know Louis Kahn was originially taped to design it, but he passed away prior to finalizing things. I think Renzo did a splendid job, and I can't imagine ANY local architect doing something remotely as masterful and helping to not only define that neighborhood, but to set about defining inner city Houston the way Piano did. Moneo is a great example of big name - out of place. I love the art work in the Beck Building, but I don't think the building is the greatest thing ever. Certainly better than the usual trash that gets thrown up in this town, but it could have been better. Of course... if someone gave Local Architect Larry $350,000,000 budget to design a couple hundred thousand square foot gallery space I'll wager the design he/she could have created would have been fairly interesting? As for Dallas - haven't walked around the district itself - but I do know they basically created it out of nothing. The Museum District here has existed since what the 1970s? At least since then. It does take a while for neighborhoods to grow and mature. The Museum District is certainly growing up nicely, now if more density can be added along with responsible retail - we'll really have a destination.
  13. arche_757
    Did anyone reeeeaaaaallllllyyyy think a retractable roof hotel w/ check-in at the top of the building was going to happen? Redesign is not as interesting as the original proposal, but in the interests of them moving forward this is a good step. We need more hotels - not necessarily gimmicky ones. And does this thing really look as bad as some are letting on? Nope. Its just like most of the other designs during this latest boom cycle: Its decent. Nothing great. Not really bad. Certainly not inspirational architecture.
  14. arche_757
    ^Yes, but generally better quality comes from out of town architects than our local folks...unfortunately. Interesting read: http://www.citylab.com/design/2015/01/can-a-massive-museum-expansion-get-texans-walking/384669/
  15. arche_757
    Phil Johnson - Republic Tower, Pennzoil, Transco... UH School of Architecture, de Menil House... keep chucking stones you'll hit something he did. IM Pei - Chase Tower Pelli - 1500 Louisiana/UH Science Building # Something or other Renzo Piano - Menil Campus Yoshio Taniguchi - Asia Society Rafael Moneo - MFA.Beck Robert Venturi - Children's Museum Kevin Roche - Conoco HQ Thought that Pelli and Taniguchi had won it! Apparently not? Yet they're still considered noteworthy architects. Add to the list: Frank Llyod Wright - Memorial Area house Mies van der Rohe - MFA expansions: 1958/1974 (not winners but certainly would have been if the prize had started sooner!) I'm not sure what's been built recently on the Rice U campus - but they have gone towards getting more prestigious architects of late for work.
  16. arche_757
    I never said it was bad! Mies is Mies is Mies is Mies. It may not be the IIT Architecture School - but its a fine building.
  17. arche_757
    The Mies addition has always seemed crowded - during exhibitions. Maybe it was just me? I think its a fun space though, and look forward to the rest of the campus opening up here before the dawn of the next decade. Which we are already half-way to! Hard to believe!
  18. arche_757
    I like the Mies Addition. While not his greatest work, its still Mies. I mean Frank Lloyd Wright didn't design Fallingwater every day, but his work still trumps 99.999999% of all others. Even his throwaway work. Its kind of funny - we may finally see the Mies addition(s) used in the manner that they were probably intended when Mies designed them back in the 50s and 70s.
  19. arche_757
    So someone who is pursuing unknowns - a physicist/biologist/chemist/astronomer etc. - is generally stupid because they must (by the very nature of what they are attempting) use free and independent thought to arive at whatever conclusions their research or examinations will determine? The very idea of pursuing a masters degree or doctorate of philosophy is to examine a problem that has yet to be solved (and in some cases even asked) and resolve it, or at the very least shed light upon the problem. Those independent thoughts should fill the average person with wonder and hope, not fear. conservative (defined): holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion
  20. arche_757
    California also must have projects engineered to meet their seismic conditions and environmental impacts that are not considered in Texas.
  21. arche_757
    I'm curious if oil prices will affect the DFW market any? Yes, you guys aren't nearly as reliant upon commodities for your economy - but part of one of the major shale plays is actually IN the DFW metroplex!
  22. arche_757
    To say that the work of Phillip Johnson is all recycled would be wrong. Pennzoil, Republic Tower, Transco are all noteworthy highrises - even if they are all post modernist towers. The new Amegy tower highrise is simple, clean, uninteresting. Not saying its bad - far from it - it just is not a wonderous work of architecture.
  23. arche_757
    I never said it was a very dangerous game, just a dangerous one! Though this building is little more than a sleeker version of a building that went up in the TMC not too long ago. All in all, this tower is a let down from the quotes (read above) about how pleasing it will be. Best building "on" the West Loop... like saying the best building in Greenspoint - doesn't take much. That said - I'll reserve further judgement until other angles/renderings are presented.
  24. arche_757
    This is fantastic! Will like to see more accurate renderings - though this is a Holl design, it'll probably be all wispy and foggy in appearance upon completion! Like Lake+Flato's design too, given the context I'd say its a nice addition. That and I understand the MFA has an undersized restoration area so this should bode them well.
  25. arche_757
    I like how they used Metro's color pallette! And I like the "upward swoop" of the northern edge of the building! Clearly they're thinking about drainage during a 100 year event! (that swoop is just a rendering hick-up)
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