Isn't the rendering above just a cropped version of the exact same rendering you posted on page 2, Steely?
The article says the hotel's design is supposed to reflect the mandarin group's oriental heritage. I don't get why they would settle for an old design meant for an entirely different client... and that has no oriental style at all. I suppose they could mean just the interior will have oriental detailing?
^ could be, but it looks like the horizontal emphasis is gone, or maybe that's due to the poor image quality caused by the compression, which reinforces my point of not geting too far ahead of ourselves in rendering judgements of a given project from postage stamp size images.
__________________ "Missing middle" housing can be a great middle ground for many middle class families.
It does look very very similar. Just check out the clouds. I think it is the same picture.
__________________
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs
Very definitely same picture. Same clouds, same everything.
I dunno. I really liked this design back when I thought it had zero chance of ever being built. I still like it. I do think, however, that the vertical lines showing white in the rendering will be white painted concrete, just like the Heritage (key will be how the non-white horizontal lines are articulated -- gotta do better than the dark grey-green paint on the Heritage).
That area by Aon, 2-Pru, and the fitness center is Po-Mo Hell right now, with dumb little dated decorative elements cluttering up the place (all those maroon squares surrounded by black diamonds or circles and those peaked glass promenades). This design at least has clean lines and will clear up the visuals of the area.
If that image is not an official rendering, then hopefully they are still tinkering with it and come up with something more exciting.
However, that image is definitely large enough to get an idea of what the building will look like. I wasn't the first one to notice that it looks like they're re-using old ideas.
I'm just crossing my fingers that the Calatrava and Studio Gang buildings can put Chicago back in the forefront of cutting edge architecture.
SCB has a lot of solid designs. I am even more excited about this project now.
I would hardly call a box a solid design. But good for your town.
I was referring mainly to the post I made before that one, where I mentioned The Heritage, 340 On The Park, 1255 S Michigan.. which I do consider to be solid designs by SCB. I definitely wouldn't discredit a design based simply on the fact that it is a box, but to each his own. We have a lot of boxes here in Chicago that I think the above image puts to shame.
Back to the point of this thread... I do like the horizontal effect of the design posted on the Mandarin Oriental site, and think it would contrast nicely with the strict verticals of AON Center and Two Prudential Plaza in that respect. I am assuming they will be tweaking the design to fit the program of this development, which I am sure is different than that of the Park Boulevard Tower.
I just spoke with John Lahey, who is Presigent of Solomon Cordwell Buenz. I was expecting to leave a voice mail, but hey, what can I say. At this time a rendering is not avaliable I was told that they are still in the early design phase, and it would be 1-2 months before something might be presentable.
He mentioned that the programming for the Mandarin Oriental was a bit different than what they expected, so some things are being worked on.
Based on this info and the fact that rendering is the same as the previous dead proposal I believe this rendering represents very little other than relative height of what MO will actually look like. This old renering seems like it eventually morphed into Heritage and 340 E. R. It don't think SCB would use the same proposal for the MO especially since the programing is different. They just probably wanted to have a pic for the website before they had an actual rendering to put on there.
SCB has given us many nice B tower designs, but I think 340 OTP will be an A and be their breakthrough work.
I've always liked the Park Boulevard design, mostly for the NE corner. As I stated before, I fully believe 340 OTP is derived and refined from the Park Boulevard design, so a fully realized Park Boulevard design should also be an A tower. I hope this is it.
^ i guess the overall boxy forms combined with the single offset spire make the two designs vaguely reminiscent of eachother but the chicago building would stand over 3 times taller, if it's built.
__________________ "Missing middle" housing can be a great middle ground for many middle class families.
^ i guess the overall boxy forms combined with the single offset spire make the two designs vaguely reminiscent of eachother but the chicago building would stand over 3 times taller, if it's built.
lol...nothing new there.
Chicago's loop value must be in an endless skyrocket, shooting for the stars.
^IMO, 90 floors is a lot of floors no matter what the official height is and would be a legitimately very tall building no matter what.
__________________
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs
I am new to this thread, and was curious about the opinions and information on the Mandarin's residential section. I recently purchased a unit in Waterview Tower, so I may be biased. But I have lived in downtown Chicago for 15 years, and I can tell you that, as an actual purchaser of a condo in a building like Waterview Tower (certainly a competitor of the Mandarin residences), I would NOT consider purchasing in the Mandarin because of the lack of views alone. Additionally, there is no after dusk foot traffic and, at least for the last 15 years, has not been a nightlife destination, and has no neighborhood feel whatsoever). Perhaps that will change after the Mandarin and other residences are built. The location may make sense for the owners of the hotel, but it is not obvious that it makes sense for someone who might be living there permanently (the access to the pedway and McCormick place are not selling points to the potential purchaser of a condo at the expected prices - I want a great view, great style, convenience and amenities. Mandarin appears to have some, but not all, of these qualities, and I chose Waterview over Mandarin for that reason). Obviously, different people buy different houses for different reasons, but without great views, it will be tough to sell those residences when your competition (like TTC and Waterview) has everything you have PLUS killer views.
Prev
I was told that they are still in the early design phase, and it would be 1-2 months before something might be presentable.
Linear Mode
