kbates2 Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Much better looking picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatesdisastr Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Agreed, much better Glad they changed the bottom from the beige colored block to glass and added the addition on top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Looks pretty nice in that rendering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Not bad for what it is - a residential tower. Interesting that we are seeing this new trend - very common among Austin residential towers of late. I believe it was all started by Perkins+Will with work they've done in Chicago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Not bad for what it is - a residential tower. Interesting that we are seeing this new trend - very common among Austin residential towers of late. I believe it was all started by Perkins+Will with work they've done in Chicago.Which trend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 The "mis-mash" of differing architectural elements in "box-like" form to create the apperance of multiple buildings mashed together (apparent in the elevations - as there are 3 design components - the "soft glass sides" and the "harder" stone/solid middle piece). That is a very non-technical explanation and the best I can do, sorry if it isn't sufficient? And I'm not being critical of the design, just saying it is remeniscent of what came out of Perkins+Will in the early 2000s in Chicago. Numerous other firms have adopted the same design "style" (for better or worse) and it is now in most cities in America that have current/modern highrise residential towers. I think in this particular building the horizontal elements seem to "outweigh" the vertical pieces as "offenders" of the non-conforming architectural style that I described above (again, in very non-scientific terminology). Does that make sense? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClutchCity Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Some more interesting information about the Southmore. It didn't look like it from the the floor plan renderings, but it sounds like they are thinking about putting some retail facing the public (within "designated hours") park planned for one portion of the property.http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2013/10/exclusive-hines-to-move-forward-on.html?page=all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchFan Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 So, Perkins+Will started a trend that resulted in something like the BBVA Compass Building on Post Oak (despite not being residential)? That's interesting, although all design fads have to start somewhere! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Architectural design trends do blur between commercial and residential - and BBVA is a Kirksey design. Ziegler Cooper is designing this project. Neither is in the same league as Perkins+Will (in my opinion). Though both ZC and Kirksey have been given a bit more leeway in their designs of late and I am appreciating more and more Kirksey's work on the larger scale commercial side of things. Good news about mixing in retail. That will only work if it is a MUST stop kind of place, or, more critical mass of retail starts to pop up nearby to create a walkable retail scene in the area. I would love to see this neighborhood become more dense without destroying too many of the shaded single family residential properties. There are quite a few empty lots available for development in and around the immediate area that won't necessitate tearing down older homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Architectural design trends do blur between commercial and residential - and BBVA is a Kirksey design. Ziegler Cooper is designing this project. Neither is in the same league as Perkins+Will (in my opinion). Though both ZC and Kirksey have been given a bit more leeway in their designs of late and I am appreciating more and more Kirksey's work on the larger scale commercial side of things.Wallace Garcia Wilson and Munoz Albin are in charge of the design for The Southmore. Ziegler Cooper is working on the Market Square high-rise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Really? Interesting. Thanks. I thought ZC was involved there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxman Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) This building is ugly and generic. Tall doesn't equal pretty. Looks like any ol' other building. What's the difference between this, the Sovereign, Whitco Tower (22-story in galleria area), Hines market square tower or a half dozen others that all look the same. Little character. Sorry, I'm not goo goo over this at all. Whitco: Sovereign: Market Place: Southmore Tower: Edited October 18, 2013 by wxman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) Of course we are all entitled to our opinions. That is what drives design. It is a residential tower of 20-30 floors in a town with many buildings that are much taller and larger, so it doesn't need to be an architectural masterpiece. However, I do think for the location of the building it should have perhaps been a bit shorter. Residential towers are always too narrow on one axis and too broad on the other. Sadly, other than 2727 Kirby (and the new tower on Wesleyan) few of the newer buildings have what I think of as good proportions. The Southmore looks like it is a tad too broad, but I'll reserve judgment until it is constructed and I can view it from multiple angles. Edited October 18, 2013 by arche_757 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Of course we are all entitled to our opinions. That is what drives design. It is a residential tower of 20-30 floors in a town with many buildings that are much taller and larger, so it doesn't need to be an architectural masterpiece. However, I do think for the location of the building it should have perhaps been a bit shorter. Residential towers are always too narrow on one axis and too broad on the other. Sadly, other than 2727 Kirby (and the new tower on Wesleyan) few of the newer buildings have what I think of as good proportions. The Southmore looks like it is a tad too broad, but I'll reserve judgment until it is constructed and I can view it from multiple angles. exactly! this notion that every 20-story building needs to be some sort of architectural wonder is quite perplexing. go take a look at austin - nearly all of their similarly-sized buildings follow the exact same form. imo these are the buildings houston needs right now. once you get up to the 40-story range is when you begin seeing bolder designs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VelvetJ Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 I don't think wxman is asking for architectural masterpieces. It's interesting that on this site when critics ask for something as simple as a little character or quality for Houston, it is perceived as asking for billion dollar groundbreaking spectacles.There is a place for infill but I think because this was Hines, many of us expected something a bit more in terms of distinction from other projects. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 I am curious then what examples of residential high rises you might cite as notworthy architecturally, both in Houston and nationally? There are very few that are ever really ground breaking. And isn't it clear that Hines is no longer the daring Hines of the 1970s and 1980s? And if anything, Houston is much more conservative architecturally speaking than during the boom years of the 60s - 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatesdisastr Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) I am curious then what examples of residential high rises you might cite as notworthy architecturally, both in Houston and nationally? There are very few that are ever really ground breaking. And isn't it clear that Hines is no longer the daring Hines of the 1970s and 1980s? And if anything, Houston is much more conservative architecturally speaking than during the boom years of the 60s - 80s. Would you you cite 2929 Weslayan as an example of a residential high rise that is noteworthy and currently going up in Houston? I wouldn't say it is groundbreaking but certainly noteworthy for the Houston area and possibly nationally. Edited October 18, 2013 by fatesdisastr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Certainly. It is different from most of the existing/proposed highrise towers. It does copy (to some extent) StudioGang's work in Chicago though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 I think architectural detail is more expensive than most of us know. I agree that it seems like a little more thought or detail into the design sans high end material could really make a difference, but I'm sure it comes at a cost too, and therefore left out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobruss Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Although 2929 Weslayan is noteworthy to Houston, I think the Aqua tower in Chicago is much more noteworthy nationally since it was first and much more graceful being 80+ stories. 2929 Weslayan however is the most unique design in residential towers yet built in Houston. I wish the new Herman Drive 42 story wasn't going to have a flat roof on its twisting structure. I think it might have been more interesting if it had some setbacks as it went up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naviguessor Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Does the fact that this is an aparment building and not Condo Tower make a difference? I believe that it must. I would think that a condo that is "owned" by the tenants would more likely attempt to be noteworthy than an apartment building which would need to keep costs down for a more relatively transient typical resident. In short...a renter is less likely to care about how a building looks than a Property owner. A renter will want lower rent. An owner would likely pay more to be part of the identity of a showcase. Am I wrong about this? It's just a theory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 I think that's wrong...That makes sense at the bottom of the market, but these new towers are *not* aimed there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchFan Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 I think that's wrong...That makes sense at the bottom of the market, but these new towers are *not* aimed there. I tend to agree. My guess is that many of the people who are willing to spend $3000 + per month to rent a high-rise apartment would be willing to pay some amount of premium for an additional "wow" factor. They could just as easily buy a high-end condo, and they are just as susceptible to appeals to their vanity as anyone else ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/2014/01/multifamily-development-continues-to.html 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sellanious Caesar Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I had to go to the airport recently but noticed on the way there and back that the Museum District/Binz actually has a decent sized skyline for itself that will continue to get taller and larger with projects like these. I never bothered noticing the towers in Museum District before but all these buildings are bringing everything together. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Any pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Of what? The southmore site or the museum district skyline? At least one of the homes on the block of the southmore has been vacated with no trespassing signs posted. Hopefully the others follow suit soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 The latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sellanious Caesar Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Any pics?You have to see it in person. Besides I was driving, no time for pictures when you're merging lanes in traffic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Oh. I thought you were on a plane. Would've been a nice shot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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