Brava: Multifamily High-Rise At 414 Milam St.

[enriquewx91]

9 hours ago, Luminare said:

As you capture pretty well in these photos, there is something oddly captivating with this one.

Legit looks just like the rendering

[Yoda]

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[pm91]

[hindesky]

[Montrose1100]

This building is ugly. The fine details are nice - I'll give it that. The glass curtain and curve are the only saving grace. Podium is oppressive. The west side is awkward. In fact the whole structure is. It's like unbalanced in the worst way. It's even worse when looking from afar. Squatty blank window cleaning crane utilitarian tower. 

Market Square Tower is boring but at least it blends in. 

I know you all love it but I'm super disappointed in this Hines project. It's exactly what Randall Davis' projects should look like. 

[Texasota]

45 minutes ago, Montrose1100 said:

It's exactly what Randall Davis' projects should look like. 

What? What does that even mean?

 

I also completely disagree with you overall - Market Square Tower benefits from not having a parking podium, but I find it genuinely oppressive because of its lack of engagement with the sidewalk and that dumb driveway.

I hate parking podiums, but I kind of love this one. It's vaguely deco, massive but with interesting detailing, and generally one of the best examples of a parking podium I've ever seen. And I love the way the balconies are handled on the tower itself.

 

Is the building perfect? Absolutely not. But I'm generally happy with how it's turned out.

[freundb]

1 hour ago, Montrose1100 said:

This building is ugly. The fine details are nice - I'll give it that. The glass curtain and curve are the only saving grace. Podium is oppressive. The west side is awkward. In fact the whole structure is. It's like unbalanced in the worst way. It's even worse when looking from afar. Squatty blank window cleaning crane utilitarian tower. 

Market Square Tower is boring but at least it blends in. 

I know you all love it but I'm super disappointed in this Hines project. It's exactly what Randall Davis' projects should look like. 

I agree. I see it from the west and hate it. Looks fine from the east though

[Montrose1100]

50 minutes ago, Texasota said:

What? What does that even mean?

It's kind of cheesy. Gaudy maybe? Lots of design and ideas for the sake of having them to sell it as luxury. Replace the concrete with Stucco and remove half the stuff on the garage and It's a RD condo tower. The Lobby is how tall and looks smooshed under the weight of this fortress with air fins. 

Always thought of Downtown as being this classy institution and free from gimmicky Galleria area style buildings. The Aris is a fine building and compliments the area so well. Then you have this bright concrete busy box.

[KinkaidAlum]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I wanted so much to like it. I don't hate it but it's a "its better than a parking lot" addition IMHO.

[hindesky]

[Luminare]

On 2/14/2022 at 11:11 AM, Montrose1100 said:

This building is ugly. The fine details are nice - I'll give it that. The glass curtain and curve are the only saving grace. Podium is oppressive. The west side is awkward. In fact the whole structure is. It's like unbalanced in the worst way. It's even worse when looking from afar. Squatty blank window cleaning crane utilitarian tower. 

Market Square Tower is boring but at least it blends in. 

I know you all love it but I'm super disappointed in this Hines project. It's exactly what Randall Davis' projects should look like. 

I understand what you are saying. My only question is what were you imagining this building to be or what would have been placed on this site? I went into this whole process have zero expectations, and instead of being disappointed I came out pleasantly surprised. Thats just me though.

From my point of view, I really like it. Its not a perfect building by any means, but from an architect-in-training's perspective I can admire the form and aesthetics given its constraints. With what they had to work with, this is actually a good way to handle it. Houston is also a weird city where we constantly are looking at buildings from 4 sides. This building is a good introduction to the 2 side or even 1 side view experience that you get in most densely packed cities. I mean for those who have been championing for "density", not saying that's you Montrose, but this is a result of higher density. You get backsides that are awkward, elevations that potential get a tad wonky, and form that has to make compromises.

I actually like the stone podium, but then again I'm into brutalism, and I'm very anti-curtain wall ground to top and everywhere. For me this is welcomed change of pace. I do agree that up close this podium probably feels intimidating. I'll have a look for myself in April. This is why I'm someone who wants to push architecture to more detail and ornamentation. I think that could have helped here. I also like the small detail with the stone where it separates a little bit to allow the metal canopy connection. That's a nice subtle detail I'm not sure others have noticed. Normally they would have just stuck the connection and bolts right onto the stone. 

[hindesky]

[West Timer]

So we are all in agreement.  People with good taste in architecture love this building.

No exceptions.

[HoustonIsHome]

I mean, for Houston its nice compared to what we usually get, but there are lots left to be desired.

Happy for it I am. Love it... I wouldn't go that far. 

Edited February 25, 2022 by HoustonIsHome

[rechlin]

@cityliving I'm not sure what you are doing differently now, but your photos are finally showing up with proper color on my computer now and look great!  Thanks for all the time you are putting into the aerial photography.  What did you change?  Was it a color space conversion issue?

[cityliving]

I am happy to contribute to to HAIF Houston with my posts and photography but, all my photographs are copyrighted-please do not copy my pics or share without my permission, otherwise I will have to stop posting my pics on here. 

Thanks 😊 

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by cityliving

[phillip_white]

1 hour ago, cityliving said:

All of my photographs are copyrighted-please do not copy my pics without my permission, otherwise I will have to stop posting my pics on here.

Thanks 😊 

This is a strange response to a compliment, gratitude, and a question about image processing.

[strickn]

On 10/15/2021 at 1:47 PM, Luminare said:

Architects need to bring back shell limestone into some of these buildings. Such a great stone for the region and has a timeless quality to it.

For sure. 

[strickn]

On 2/14/2022 at 2:09 PM, Montrose1100 said:

It's kind of cheesy. Gaudy maybe? Lots of design and ideas for the sake of having them to sell it as luxury. Replace the concrete with Stucco and remove half the stuff on the garage and It's a RD condo tower. The Lobby is how tall and looks smooshed under the weight of this fortress with air fins. 

Always thought of Downtown as being this classy institution and free from gimmicky Galleria area style buildings. The Aris is a fine building and compliments the area so well. Then you have this bright concrete busy box.

That's an insightful perspective.  Thanks.

I think Hines saw fit to use the styrofoam form left over from the inside of the box this older 2009 tower had shipped in.  I blame that for any awkward dimensions and angles.

http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/residencesattheritz/ritzrender1.jpg

Edited March 19, 2022 by strickn

[Triton]

Brava by Marc longoria, on Flickr

[BigFootsSocks]

Whomever* is on the floors directly across from MST's pool are going to have a fun view and vice versa. You can practically see straight into the rooms at Brava

 

 

*or whoever I can't remember

Edited March 25, 2022 by BigFootsSocks

[Texasota]

I believe it's whomstever

[editor]

On 3/25/2022 at 8:37 AM, BigFootsSocks said:

Whomever* is on the floors directly across from MST's pool are going to have a fun view and vice versa. You can practically see straight into the rooms at Brava

 

 

*or whoever I can't remember

 

I've lived a number of places (including my current place) where I can see into people offices, hotel rooms, and apartments.

People are a lot less interesting than we imagine.  And if you're over 18, there's probably nothing you haven't seen already.

[hindesky]

[cityliving]

[toxtethogrady]

On 3/25/2022 at 9:37 AM, BigFootsSocks said:

Whomever* is on the floors directly across from MST's pool are going to have a fun view and vice versa. You can practically see straight into the rooms at Brava

 

 

*or whoever I can't remember

Can't be nearly as much fun as the view the DFW air traffic controllers had into the hotels. One day the guys were scanning over with their binoculars and a guy was on the deck in his swimshorts...until the woman he was there with hastily pulled him back indoors...

[HoustonMidtown]