Quote:
Originally Posted by RFPCME
Delts and Urbanboy:
I think the American Stores Bldg. (aka, Wells Fargo Bldg.) is a great example of that balancing act. On the one hand, it is very much unlike anything around it (not just in size), pushing the limits of people's conceptions of tall buildings. On the other hand, the building is very pragmatic, with out excess ornamentation. It strikes a nice balance between both extremes. It is not a high-rise box, nor is it ostentatious in any way. That's Salt Lake to me.
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I think I can safely say your ideas about Salt Lake City's built environment are unfounded. If you look at history, many of Salt Lake City's earlier buildings had very detailed and extravagant ornamentation on them. Each building was right up to the next, creating a continuos flow of window shopping and/or natural surveillance, so many who walked by could have a real sense of security. Every office building had ground floor retail/specialty shops, even the Hotel Utah (now the Joseph Smith Memorial Building) had ground floor retail. Everything you needed was within walking distance, or if you were sick of walking, you could ride the trolley to any urban destination. This type of environment, a very walkable one, was possible because space was used very efficiently. The Wells Fargo Building, although architecturally stunning, is not a good example of a building that interacts well with the street, or uses space efficiently. A better example of this will be 222 South Main Street. It has made excellent use of the parcel and looks as though it will interact well with the street. It has large windows and ground floor retail. The Grand America has architecture that fits the historic character of Salt Lake City, However, it does not interact well with the street. In- fact, I think the layout was a huge mistake and a lost opportunity. Had the Grande America abutted right up to the sidewalk, the retail space could have had windows facing the street. Therefore, it wouldn't only be the people staying at the hotel making purchases, but anyone who was intrigued when walking by. If you treat the street as an amenity, it becomes one, whereas if you treat it as some eyesore that you must protect your high paying guests from by planting trees and foliage, then that's what it becomes. In an urban environment, no matter how beautiful a building is, if it does not interact well with street life, it is not good architecture! At least the Ken Garff building interacts well with the street, as does the Metro Building.
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oh well, I'll shelve the adolescent humor. 
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