Subdude Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 They both have funnels, that's about it. The GRB was very much a product of its time and has a lot of typical 1980s design elements. I didn't much like it originally, but the fact that it is now such a period piece means it has grown on me. It really is amazing how much of a difference the water in front seems to make. For that matter, it is also amazing how much better that Dubuffet thing looks in its new home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister X Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 (edited) The Pompidou looks like a Borg cube. It is bleak, industrial and scary. The GRB looks like a Borg cube that had been captured by the Federation (the good guys), pounded flat, painted up and glamorized. It is perky and inviting, but still a bit industrial. Sounds like it BELONGS in downtown Houston to me. It is totally 'us'.But I never learned to appreciate it until about 2 months ago. The park was the missing piece. I think the city should start erecting Discovery Greens within every few square miles of each other all over the city. Imagine what a Discovery Green (complete w/ a large reflection pond) would do for Uptown. It gives me chills every time I think about it. Edited July 19, 2008 by Mister X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernicke Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I think the city should start erecting Discovery Greens within every few square miles of each other all over the city. Imagine what a Discovery Green (complete w/ a large reflection pond) would do for Uptown. It gives me chills every time I think about it.$120+ million every few square miles? Aren't we already spending sums like that on the new rail lines?In a SimCity way, I do wish we could bury the stretch of 59 running east of GRB. Could we bury the Pierce elevated too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister X Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 (edited) $120+ million every few square miles? Aren't we already spending sums like that on the new rail lines?In a SimCity way, I do wish we could bury the stretch of 59 running east of GRB. Could we bury the Pierce elevated too? Money is no object in my fantasies. I never said my idea was realistic, still it would be nice. I like your fantasies too. In fact, I would be in favor of burying all the freeways within the city limits and building Discovery Greens on top of them. Sure, I've now gone from fantasy into complete LSD purple haze-dom over the idea, but people have to dream up ideas like this before they can ever be realized, don't they. But I'm getting off topic. Sorry. Now back to more GRB gushing and bashing... Edited July 19, 2008 by Mister X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citizen4rmptown Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Just a few pictures from saturday morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strickn Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that we (or whoever built GRB) ripped off the GRB design from a FRENCH building in Paris, France. Anyone ever been to the Pompidou? Wow... Look at these cool vents:See post no. 5. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robhan Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I like the GRB. It is not a bad looking building and a good place to attend a convention. I have been to Republican state conventions in San Antonio, Fort Worth, Dallas and here and Houston and thsi is the easiest to get around between main hall and cacus rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 See post no. 5.Missed that. Too many gin and tonics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deut28Thirteen Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 About How many events/conventions does the GRB get a year. And what city got the Democratic convention when it was built? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan the man Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 The GRB is not particularly a bad place to hold a convention. Its design is supposed to pay homage to both the space industry (as evidenced by its white outer shell) and the large shipping industry evident at the Port of Houston (which explains the pipes sticking out of the place and its appearance resembling a giant boat). I went there for an exhibition years ago and it was a spectacle of sorts.I can honestly guarantee you that the east side of Downtown would not be what it is today if it weren't for the GRB...without it, there would be no Minute Maid Park, no Toyota Center, and no Discovery Green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I don't see what the big deal is... I've always liked the GRB. It's not perfect, but I still think it's nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 I think the GRB looks great and I like that style of architecture and I think it is a timeless stylepeople who think something better could be built do not have a clue about what was going on in Houston at that time Houston was dead on its ass after taking the kick in the nuts that was the drop in oil and then Houston with all its homes already for sale was leading into the S&L crisis that was like a crowbar over the headthere was no money to build the taj mahal....Houston had the airport and Houston still had an international presence and Houston had a dated convention center that was near useless in the modern convention sceneHouston needed badly to diversify its economy and Houston needed a new space to do it with conventions to take advantage of the existing airport ect. any developer left standing after oil and still able to build anything with the S&L issues moving in was already building in Hong Kong or elsewhere and was not going to come near HoustonHouston and Texas had former oil engineers and oil rig builders that needed to work.....the GRB design was something these people could build and bid for a piece of to keep the doors open.....the taj mahal would not be a building many of them could bid for a piece ofit was the right building at the right time and it was that or a plain box......there were few if any other optionsI love to learn the history behind such endeavors, especially the involvement of oil contractors, thank you sincerely.As far as the GRB imitating the Pompidou Centre, if there's a bldg to copy that would be the one. Remember also that Renzo Piano was in Houston at the time working on the Menil Collection so his influence on this project is justified. Bolullo also did the Science 2 bldg at UH at approx. the same time period. I like the GRB much more now after reading this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 I love to learn the history behind such endeavors, especially the involvement of oil contractors, thank you sincerely.As far as the GRB imitating the Pompidou Centre, if there's a bldg to copy that would be the one. Remember also that Renzo Piano was in Houston at the time working on the Menil Collection so his influence on this project is justified. Bolullo also did the Science 2 bldg at UH at approx. the same time period. I like the GRB much more now after reading this thread.Renzo Piano did not spend that much time here for the Menil. He was the designer; a local firm did the architectural drawings for his design. I remember regularly sending off DHL packages to Genoa, Italy, to his firm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayzer Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I'm looking out at the GRB right now and I'm clear over on Louisiana. At the time it was built, I couldn't make up my mind if I liked it or not. As time passed, it's grown on me. It looks alot better since they repainted the smoke stacks.Those nightime pictures are awesome. You've got to admit that with the new park, etc. this has to leave a very favorable impression to visitors.Ewwww~! Sorry. It STILL looks like tiled beached ship washed up from Galveston. Nothing's more puke-provoking than brutalist architecutre with make up on!Yeah, it looks like it was cheap to build, too. And to make a building ugly from a main N-S Interstate is inexcusable in the late 20/early 21st century. When they ripped the design off from the Pomp. Center in France, that notion got lost in the translation, I guess. It reminds me of the old abandoned auto plants in Detroit...they look nice lit up, too. (except they actually have style and craftsmanship going for them).I apologize to all out-of-town visitors for it. Then I show them the Wortham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I love the GRB. At the time it was built, it was a bright, refreshing piece of architecture. And as everyone said, it pays homage to Houston's oil industry. The giant steel columns on the ground floor are replicas of oil platform bracing. The only negative I have about it, is that it essentially destroyed the old Chinatown, by cutting it off from the rest of downtown. It took 20 year, but Houston finally has a front worth of GRB. Way to go Houston! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Nothing's more puke-provoking than brutalist architecutre with make up on!I apologize to all out-of-town visitors for it. Then I show them the Wortham.Do you also apologize for not knowing your architectural styles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Monday there will be a ceremony where the mayor accepts an $850,000 grant from Houston Endowment to install solar panels on the George R. Brown Convention Center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citizen4rmptown Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 how much will this impact GRB's total electricity needs?5%,10%,etc. of GRB's electricity usage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chenevert Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I bet during non-events it can sustain the building, if not add to the grid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 It certainly has a lot of space on the roof. But I wonder how much will actually be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Here's the announcement:---------George R. Brown Convention Center Receives$850,000 Grant To Install Solar Panels on RooftopHouston Endowment awards funding in public-private partnershipHOUSTON Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernicke Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Good for the city... let's hope White's successor continues these green policies. I think pursuing alternative energy reflects very well on the oil/gas/energy capital of the US... we're not all about burning fossil fuels down here even though oil and gas built this city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 It still does not translate to what the currently use to show the percentage reduction in grid power consumption. I would think that would be fairly easy to broadcast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I saw a headline recently stating that New York is America's greenest city. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernicke Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 It still does not translate to what the currently use to show the percentage reduction in grid power consumption. I would think that would be fairly easy to broadcast.Just read the BMW dealership's "solar roof" would supply 37000 kilowatts per hour annually, or 18% of the buildings energy consumption... maybe the proportion will be similar for GRB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citizen4rmptown Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 i saw the story on the news and one of the rendering had illustrated some gardens on GRB, wonderhow that would turn out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernicke Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Found this GRB green fact sheet.This blog indicates the initial panels would only supply 1% of GRB's power, with plans to expand the project to provide up to 20% in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Found this GRB green fact sheet.This blog indicates the initial panels would only supply 1% of GRB's power, with plans to expand the project to provide up to 20% in the future.Jeeps, for that little it seems like a bit of a publicity stunt. Which it probably is. Nothing against solar power, but it isn't economically efficient at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChannelTwoNews Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) Renderings from the displays at Discovery Green... Edited November 12, 2008 by ChannelTwoNews 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasVines Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 good info C2N....I just hope those are AFTER it is up to 20% because of that is after only 1% I am not sure where the rest of the panels will go for the other 19% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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