Austin | The Republic | 710 Feet | 47 Floors | Complete - Page 30

odelayjb · #**581** Posted **Apr 12, 2018, 12:20 AM**

How many accounts does theGenral have here?

JACKinBeantown · #**582** Posted **Apr 12, 2018, 1:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

Ugh, no. As a former UT Arch student myself, any gensler-like design would be shot down as boring. They are more into bigger starchitect work like Daniel Libeskind, BIG, etc, and the funky shapes and forms they create (for better or for worse). Plus, in architecture school, you don't have to think about budget when designing. It's infinite. So you are always encouraged to think outside the box and go above and beyond. Gensler's designs might be handsome but they also seem to be constrained, the result of smaller budgets than say projects in NYC or chicago. There's just not enough money in this city yet for any jaw dropping or inspiring design.

I'm a former UT architecture student too. Who cares?

Good design doesn't always require more money. Here's an analogy... inexpensive movies that were critically acclaimed and made a lot of money: Rocky, Napoleon Dynamite, Night of the Living Dead, Supersize Me, The Blair Witch Project, The Brothers McMullen, Pink Flamingos, In the Company of Men, Open Water, Clerks, and two local favorites Slacker and El Mariachi.

Don't fall for the argument that bigger (or more expensive) is always better. Bigger thinking is better. This building is boring at any price. You'd think they'd want a true showpiece considering it will be one of the tallest buildings in Austin.

.

Jdawgboy · #**583** Posted **Apr 12, 2018, 2:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by odelayjb

How many accounts does theGenral have here?

The_Genral has not been active on the forum for over a month nor does he have another account. Why do you ask?

I don't know of anyone that is using more than one account. We know some people have changed names but they have been up front about who they were before and a couple that lost their old accounts passwords and have made new ones.

KevinFromTexas · #**584** Posted **Apr 12, 2018, 4:36 AM**

I wish he would come back. I was trying to hurry to get the photos edited from our meet up with him in mind since he was commenting that the photos on the forum help him stay in touch.

Jdawgboy · #**585** Posted **Apr 12, 2018, 4:39 AM**

Okay I get it.. Ha ha.

But on the subject of criticizing Gensler designs, I don't see the problem with it. Designs are going to be criticized in one way or the other. For example I'm critical of Frost Bank not being tall enough. If they had removed that east facing bump out and added that to the towers height, it would have been a big improvement. Having said that I still think It's one of our best towers.

JACKinBeantown · #**586** Posted **Apr 12, 2018, 1:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Okay I get it.. Ha ha.

But on the subject of criticizing Gensler designs, I don't see the problem with it. Designs are going to be criticized in one way or the other. For example I'm critical of Frost Bank not being tall enough. If they had removed that east facing bump out and added that to the towers height, it would have been a big improvement. Having said that I still think It's one of our best towers.

I agree with you about Frost. Even if it had been built 50 feet taller, which the relocation of that east facing bump would have provided, it would stand out more in today's Austin skyline. It was short sighted in that regard (no pun intended). But otherwise it's a gorgeous building aesthetically. The problem with Gensler's designs (which others besides myself have stated) is that they are essentially different versions of the same form-follows-function design. There's very little aesthetically pleasing about them. So yes, designs are going to be criticized one way or another, but your criticism of Frost (which I agree with) is minor in one way whereas my (and others') criticisms of Gensler's designs are major in another way.

Yes, Frost is one of Austin's best towers because its design is beautiful. 308 Guadalupe will be one of Austin's tallest towers. Period.

JACKinBeantown · #**587** Posted **Apr 12, 2018, 1:14 PM**

If you look at Gensler's website, they have some very nice work.

https://www.gensler.com/projects

It seems they save the craaap for Austin.

Sigaven · #**588** Posted **Apr 12, 2018, 4:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

If you look at Gensler's website, they have some very nice work.

https://www.gensler.com/projects

It seems they save the craaap for Austin.

Gensler is an international firm with offices all over the world. I'm guessing their Austin office produces most of their Austin work. So it's not that they save their crap projects for Austin, it's just that their Austin office kinda keeps it boring.

the Genral · #**589** Posted **Apr 13, 2018, 12:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I wish he would come back. I was trying to hurry to get the photos edited from our meet up with him in mind since he was commenting that the photos on the forum help him stay in touch.

And I appreciate yours and other photos posted and the effort required. Btw I don't really mind the color of 9th and Congress. The wife used to work in that building and says its still ugly. I'm kind of lurking and laying back for the moment. I just waiting for the right moment to pounce

We vs us · #**590** Posted **Apr 13, 2018, 12:10 AM**

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!

ILUVSAT · #**591** Posted **Apr 13, 2018, 12:28 AM**

Since there is not current proposal (or any true, real proposal in the past) for this site, why are we still seeing "~59 stories" and "~700+'" for it?

Yes...there was one rendering of such a tower. However, it was never a real proposal. Even Gensler's latest "potential" renderings for the site do not represent a 59-story, 700' tower.

I believe the discussion should continue, but, the labeling is incorrect (misleading) and has a good chance of never coming to fruition as presented.

JACKinBeantown · #**592** Posted **Apr 13, 2018, 12:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

I believe the discussion should continue, but, the labeling is incorrect (misleading) and has a good chance of never coming to fruition.

In that case I love this proposal!

Geckos_Rule · #**593** Posted **Apr 13, 2018, 2:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

And I appreciate yours and other photos posted and the effort required. Btw I don't really mind the color of 9th and Congress. The wife used to work in that building and says its still ugly. I'm kind of lurking and laying back for the moment. I just waiting for the right moment to pounce

ayyyy

urbancore · #**594** Posted **Apr 13, 2018, 2:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

And I appreciate yours and other photos posted and the effort required. Btw I don't really mind the color of 9th and Congress. The wife used to work in that building and says its still ugly. I'm kind of lurking and laying back for the moment. I just waiting for the right moment to pounce

Ohhhh snap, it's the "O" G!

Welcome back General, thought we lost you for hot second.

The ATX · #**595** Posted **Apr 16, 2018, 7:26 PM**

This is the site plan link I posted in the update thread. It's for a "high rise office building with mixed use." The address on the site plan is 400 E. 4th which doesn't make any sense because that's a park and fire station. This project is called the Rebublic and 400 W. 4th is across the street from Republic Square and is also the 308 Guadalupe block.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/web/perm...rtyrsn=1162618

KevinFromTexas · #**596** Posted **Apr 16, 2018, 7:34 PM**

I bet that's what happened. The name makes more sense here, and the address must have been a typo.

The ATX · #**597** Posted **Apr 16, 2018, 7:50 PM**

I'm so confident about it that I updated the thread title.

Sigaven · #**598** Posted **Apr 16, 2018, 8:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

I'm a former UT architecture student too. Who cares?

Good design doesn't always require more money. Here's an analogy... inexpensive movies that were critically acclaimed and made a lot of money: Rocky, Napoleon Dynamite, Night of the Living Dead, Supersize Me, The Blair Witch Project, The Brothers McMullen, Pink Flamingos, In the Company of Men, Open Water, Clerks, and two local favorites Slacker and El Mariachi.

Don't fall for the argument that bigger (or more expensive) is always better. Bigger thinking is better. This building is boring at any price. You'd think they'd want a true showpiece considering it will be one of the tallest buildings in Austin.

.

Oops, I'm just realizing I misunderstood your post. I didn't see the last few words where you say half the class could present better designs. That I agree with

The ATX · #**599** Posted **Apr 17, 2018, 3:16 AM**

I'm a little worried about this project not living up to the full height potential for the site. The site plan said mixed use but had office and retail listed as the uses. There was no mention of residential or hotel, but that can't be excluded at this point based on the single filing. Retail would of course be ground floor, and I don't think there is enough office space demand for a 700' to 900' office tower in addition to 600 Guadalupe and Block 71. I really hope this site doesn't become another one of those mediocre 400 footers.

Jdawgboy · #**600** Posted **Apr 17, 2018, 3:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

I'm a little worried about this project not living up to the full height potential for the site. The site plan said mixed use but had office and retail listed as the uses. There was no mention of residential or hotel, but that can't be excluded at this point based on the single filing. Retail would of course be ground floor, and I don't think there is enough office space demand for a 700' to 900' office tower in addition to 600 Guadalupe and Block 71. I really hope this site doesn't become another one of those mediocre 400 footers.

Then again, there might be demand for more office. We may have finally reached a point in DT development where office starts to take a bigger role. We really don't know what kind of companies are interested or how many are intersted in DT.

I agree that this site has to be significantly tall. It would be ridiculous and a missed opportunity not to build to the max on such a prime lot. The block just screams challenger to 600 Guadalupe for tallest. That would be sweet because the elevation is lower compared to where 600 Guad is planned.