  Rivertowner Member Username: Rivertowner Post Number: 14 Registered: 07-2007 |
Has anyone come across these images before? If so, I apologize for rehashing old news. If not...well, I guess that makes this new news. http://www.eastriverfront.com/ ?p=204 | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1467 Registered: 07-2004 |
Good thing that the Monroe Block was knocked down. Just in time for new development. Oops, I mean, just in time for a proposal for new development. See, haters? Demolish it and they WILL build new. (Maybe. After 20-odd years. Eventually. Sorta.) | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 356 Registered: 10-2003 |
Those renderings must be from a contest for the stupidest architectural design ever. It's simply ridiculous that someone would present that with a serious face. | ||
Rjlj Member Username: Rjlj Post Number: 398 Registered: 11-2003 |
That's only your opinion. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 2471 Registered: 10-2003 |
Don't worry, that's not a rendering of a building, that's a sculpture of a giant tornado. | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 357 Registered: 10-2003 |
Then please share with us what aspects of the renderings you like, and how you think they compare/contrast to their surroundings. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 2472 Registered: 10-2003 |
I think it would be very cool to have a tornado sculpture downtown. | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 358 Registered: 10-2003 |
No, I was talking to rjljjrlj. | ||
Gdub Member Username: Gdub Post Number: 1147 Registered: 10-2003 |
I like it--Detroit could use more of a Gehry influence, though the contrast is jarring. There's no way anyone will invest what it would take to replicate the prewar buildings in Detroit, but a less expensive building that at least looks interesting should be a fair compromise. | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 360 Registered: 10-2003 |
There's no need to replicate the past, but there's also no need to be absurd for absurdity's sake. The design isn't based on functionalism; it's based on, as you said, providing a jarring contrast, a rather juvenile impulse. | ||
6nois Member Username: 6nois Post Number: 519 Registered: 11-2006 |
I personally like it. I hope it wouldn't be that dark and grey its a little depressing, but the shapes and forms flirt and contrast with the surroundings very nicely. It looks like it even has a green roof area. | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 361 Registered: 10-2003 |
Please define how a building "flirts" with other buildings around it. Seriously. | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 459 Registered: 08-2007 |
Right, I think it would be more absurd to replicate the past, but I do think contrast can work. I'm on the fence with the design; I like the curvilinear aspect, and it appears to be *green* conscious, but it seems more than a little busy. What in the world is it referencing (or channeling)? A steamship? It reminds me of that famous deco print of a ship from the film, I think called l'Atalante. I just hope it doesn't become another Ren Cen. | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 362 Registered: 10-2003 |
Nothing wrong with contrast, but it can be taken to ridiculous extremes for its own sake. A 20-story corn cob is a contrast, but it's also rather stupid. All modern architecture is not great and edgy, and all shouldn't be lumped together. Some of it is simply stupid and self-indulgent. | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 460 Registered: 08-2007 |
Agreed, I'm not a fan of Chicago's corn cob. I also agree that edgy does not equate with great. We now have a Michael Graves *original* that I find the epitome of self-indulgence and is so literal; a total dumbing down of design. Hockeyplayer, what style or architect would you like to see in place of the North Group "vision"? | ||
Hockey_player Member Username: Hockey_player Post Number: 363 Registered: 10-2003 |
I have no preference, nor would I presume to impose one. I'm merely being critical of the one presented in this thread. There are innumerable options for that and other vacant locations. That one just happens to be awful. | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 461 Registered: 08-2007 |
I'm all for functionalism in architecture; it's the main issue I have with Wright's designs. What exactly do you find so awful? I'm grateful that it doesn't mimic strip mall "design", and I must give them credit for being provocative though that alone does not a good design make. | ||
Rjlj Member Username: Rjlj Post Number: 399 Registered: 11-2003 |
I really don't care for it but it reminds me of the Guggenheim in Bilbao. Funny how world class cities have architecture like this and thrive. Kind of reflects the forward thinking people that live there and run the city, while out city has lagged, resembles a 3rd world country and is about 50 years behind everyone else. | ||
Texorama Member Username: Texorama Post Number: 66 Registered: 12-2006 |
Who knows, it could work. It kinda seems to fit into that spot. Downtown is such a crazy set of angles to begin with . . . and a project that made an architectural splash could mesh with the Riverwalk and other recent things to make downtown into a modest tourist draw. Maybe get a real summit of forward-thinking retailers and designers to get them in on the planning. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1469 Registered: 07-2004 |
World class cities, IMHO, thrive despite these hideous creations. Maybe instead of trying to solve downtown's problems by building yet another building (what is the vacancy rate, anyway?) we could, you know, invest in the ones we already have? | ||
Oakmangirl Member Username: Oakmangirl Post Number: 462 Registered: 08-2007 |
...things to make downtown into a modest tourist draw With what are we trying to draw tourists? Detroit is a minor convention town at best; we should focus on drawing in more residents first. The city focus on tourism seems ass backwards. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 5441 Registered: 08-2004 |
"It's a loathesome offensive brute... yet I can't look away!" Actually it's too small for the site. It doesn't look more than 6 stories tall. Sort of a cross between a Frank Gehry design and a Stephen King rendition of "The Old Lady Who Lives In A Shoe"! (Not trying to knock Frank Gehry, by the way.) It's way too dark and foreboding looking. (Message edited by Gistok on October 01, 2007) | ||
Texorama Member Username: Texorama Post Number: 67 Registered: 12-2006 |
". . . focus on tourism seems ass backwards." The two aren't mutually exclusive. Other cities that have suffered massive population loss (Cleveland, St. Louis) have strengthened their centers with attractions that are centered on interesting design. People from Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus visit nearby cities for the hell of it, but we miss out on most of that. What draws people to Detroit now? Electronic music has drawn people from around the world. We're perceived to have talent in music, art, and design--something like this could draw it together. Downtown has always had sharp, innovative retail if you look for it, but it's been too spread-out and scattershot. I would agree that if this became just another Greektown-type mall, it wouldn't work. As for the size, I think another really tall building would tend to turn CM into a canyon. Dark and foreboding? Could be--hard to tell from those photos. I'm not a super Frank Gehry fan, although he certainly helped turn Bilbao around. Guess I like the idea of a new building with retail that would be a real destination in that spot. | ||
Hunchentoot Member Username: Hunchentoot Post Number: 48 Registered: 03-2005 |
I was kind of excited when One Kennedy Square went up, thinking how great it was that a new building was going in after so many years and on and on, but now when I see it I mostly notice how it covers up the Dime Building. Just the fact that a foundation is going in does not give cause for a parade. (Maybe I'll feel better about it when it has ground-floor tenants.) The Monroe block is conspicuously barren, but what it needs is a building that is urbane. Shops should interface with the street and the exterior should be inviting. The monumental aspects are good for attraction, but it should be a place where you might want to have a coffee at an outdoor cafe, not just be awed and terrified by the gonna-crush-you monument up-close. There's so much gonna-crush-you cement brutality in the physical landscape downtown already between freeways, parking decks, and almost everything anywhere near the Civic Center that something truly warm would add to the series of recent good choices in the center of downtown. And although mixed-use is generally a good idea, I'm wary of the all-in-one complex. The Millender Center, like a dollar-store Swiss Army knife, doesn't seem to be especially good at many of its numerous functions, for example. | ||
Andylinn Member Username: Andylinn Post Number: 562 Registered: 04-2006 |
"Please define how a building "flirts" with other buildings around it. Seriously" - it plays with its hair and says the other building has a pretty facade. it then offers to buy the other building a drink... | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 786 Registered: 07-2006 |
quote: In this case, it apparently shows off some curves. Seriously though, I have a pretty open mind when it comes to architecture, and would like to see some newer designs on some of the empty lots, but this, quite frankly, is hideous. Maybe a clearer rendering would help, but i don't particularly think this sort of thing will work in Detroit. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 3725 Registered: 02-2005 |
I can't believe such a far-fetched idea has created this sort of stir. Anyway, we could be one step closer to a Monroe Block development. Bank of America could be moving the regional HQ they're now inheriting from LaSalle from Troy to downtown (they're very urban-minded). There's no reason for them to build something on the Monroe Block, but they could very well purchase space in One Detroit or One Woodward, thus saturating the market a little more, and allowing future office demand to more likely be channeled towards new buildings on empty blocks. | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 16 Registered: 08-2007 |
i remember when alot of the monroe block buildings were up. i,m almost 40 now, they came down in my teens. maybe one day i,ll see buildings without boards on the windows. i remember the end of detroit as people knew it, the ghost town, and now the rebuilding deal. real estate=$ too much land to waste. even in detroit. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1483 Registered: 01-2005 |
Just seeing this for the first time...and I have to say this is about the most exciting thing I've seen regarding downtown developement...EVER. I know deconstructivism is a bit old, but still great to see someone considering it for this project (or had considered I guess). | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1804 Registered: 12-2005 |
Frank Ghery wanna-be buildings | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 2642 Registered: 02-2007 |
reminds me of something from robocop | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1470 Registered: 07-2004 |
Peter Bagge depicted Gehry walking down an alley and looking at garbage, thinking, "Hmmmm, that little pile of rubbish gives me an idea." Perfect. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 2473 Registered: 10-2003 |
"It's way too dark and foreboding looking." Wow, Gistok, that's a perfect, concise description of Detroit. Good job!  | ||
Oliverdouglas Member Username: Oliverdouglas Post Number: 134 Registered: 02-2006 |
C'mon, those pictures aren't anywhere near good enough to make a reasonable judgement. | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 1337 Registered: 01-2004 |
Kind of off topic, but what ever happened to the decision that was supposed to be made about the Woodward block? Wasn't the developer supposed to submit some plans several months ago? | ||
Mind_field Member Username: Mind_field Post Number: 795 Registered: 10-2003 |
I just wish the renderings weren't so dark and of otherwise poor quality. Downtown architecture definitely needs to be cutting edge and turn heads. Downtown needs new and bold and different. Look to Chicago to see fine examples of original modern buildings but they also have many examples of mediocre or ever crap new buildings. | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 3399 Registered: 10-2003 |
"Bold and different" for the sake of being bold and different is a nonstarter. This P.O.S. doesn't respect any sort of context or any of the buildings around it. Just another sculpture posing as a building, from an architect with too big of an ego. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 2278 Registered: 06-2006 |
why are you guys getting so pissed off about this? there is nothing to indicate that this is even a legitimate proposal for this block...someone drew a picture....dig f-ing deal! I could superimpose a building modeled after a giant box of french fries into a picture of the monroe block and post it on the forum...so what? would you even give it a second look? | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1471 Registered: 07-2004 |
Well, could we at least see the rendering for Aqua Teen Hunger Force Plaza first? ;) | ||
6nois Member Username: 6nois Post Number: 523 Registered: 11-2006 |
The images are gone, but it flirts with the surrounding buildings, though the base, between the two "tornado" forms directly reflected the building top behind it, it had the exact same lines. | ||
Spiritofdetroit Member Username: Spiritofdetroit Post Number: 606 Registered: 11-2006 |
and they're gone.... interesting | ||
Southen Member Username: Southen Post Number: 296 Registered: 08-2006 |
Images are still up over at urban planet http://www.urbanplanet.org/for ums/Monroe-block-development-t 42306.html | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 6630 Registered: 02-2004 |
Once a place of Vaudevilles and Burlesques now a just a street filled with stores and vacant National Theatre building and a miserable looking parking lot where the Kirkwood Hotel and Family Theatre once stood. The Monroe Block is now part of Downtown Detroit's PREMIER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY. | ||
Greatlakes Member Username: Greatlakes Post Number: 26 Registered: 07-2007 |
Remember this?  | ||
Eric_c Member Username: Eric_c Post Number: 1067 Registered: 11-2003 |
Fun to think it's all there now, except for the Monroe Block. | ||
Dabirch Member Username: Dabirch Post Number: 2438 Registered: 06-2004 |
How's the new crib Eric_c? | ||
Southen Member Username: Southen Post Number: 304 Registered: 08-2006 |
I wish they would have stuck with the plan for Cadillac Square Park and made it mostly grass as opposed to the sea of concrete that it is. | ||
Wolverine Member Username: Wolverine Post Number: 369 Registered: 04-2004 |
I like how it engages the street actively - - Not. | ||
Cub Member Username: Cub Post Number: 86 Registered: 02-2007 |
That is too gothic...... | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 216 Registered: 09-2007 |
Well, it does make some sense. We are in the Tornado Alley of Canada. |
