CHICAGO | The Elysian | 686 FT / 209 M | 60 FLOORS | COM - Page 71

samoen313 · #**1401** Posted **May 16, 2009, 5:17 PM**

Man. That tool-shed roofing and (as Busy Bee said) plexi-like windows sure make this thing look cheap. Woof.

george · #**1402** Posted **May 16, 2009, 6:12 PM**

5-14-09

BorisMolotov · #**1403** Posted **May 16, 2009, 9:26 PM**

That last pic of the courtyard does look like it will be a pretty cool urban place, looking up at layers of highrises...

Steely Dan · #**1404** Posted **May 18, 2009, 4:24 PM**

any more posts about chicago and new york will be deleted from this thread.

now back to our regularly scheduled topic.

Brian. · #**1405** Posted **May 20, 2009, 2:06 PM**

Love it or hate it, I gotta say I am impressed with the execution of the precast here. From the pictures it is difficult to tell where the panel joints are. Even though I’ve been looking at this building for many months I still find the detail and craftsmanship to be excellent.

Nowhereman1280 · #**1406** Posted **May 20, 2009, 2:36 PM**

^^^ I have to agree with you. As much as a philosophically despise this design, the pre-cast has been executed well, granted I still don't like the material used in this way. My only complaint on the execution of the precast is the corners where there is just a vertical line on some corners where they didn't interlock the pieces at all. Maybe that was a technical issue, maybe it was cost saving, but I don't like the way it looks.

My main complaint about the building now continues to lie in the heinous choice of white window frames and black balconies/lower window frames...

Brian. · #**1407** Posted **May 20, 2009, 2:44 PM**

Some where back in the pages we did talk about those corners and how higher up on the building they have "returned" the corners to avoid that joint. Seems like it should have been more improtant to apply that detail at street level rather then a couple hundred feet in the air. At any rate it I'm sure that was all about money in the end.

Those white windows couldn't have been a cost issue compaired to the black. That choice is questionable to say the least.

VivaLFuego · #**1408** Posted **May 20, 2009, 2:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColoPrecaster

Love it or hate it, I gotta say I am impressed with the execution of the precast here. From the pictures it is difficult to tell where the panel joints are. Even though I’ve been looking at this building for many months I still find the detail and craftsmanship to be excellent.

It does appear to be an impressive job, but I can't help but think that at these price points, the architect/developer might as well have moved the slider a little closer to "revivalist" and a little farther from "post-modern reinterpretation" and actually added some stylistically-relevant ornament to some of the precast, e.g. the cornices - as it is now, while the workmanship/craftsmanship of the precast may indeed be top-notch (I'll defer to you on that one!) it's just so jarringly stark, visually. I suppose it just gets back to the overall architectural critique of this one being lost in an unpleasant nether-region between being a true revivalist (even the same architect's recent 65 E. Goethe, while suffering some similar issues, did a little better on this front) and being post-modern, which while often used as a slur on these forums can actually produce some very attractive and iconic buildings (e.g. the nearby 900 N. Michigan).

wrab · #**1409** Posted **May 20, 2009, 3:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by george

The devil is in the details, right? I'm gonna start calling this one the Pottery Barn building.

the urban politician · #**1410** Posted **May 20, 2009, 4:07 PM**

^ For those of you who hate this building, I advise you to take a good look at Grand Plaza's massive parking podium.

I'll take this "pottery barn" auto court over that any day of the week.

Busy Bee · #**1411** Posted **May 20, 2009, 5:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

It does appear to be an impressive job, but I can't help but think that at these price points, the architect/developer might as well have moved the slider a little closer to "revivalist" and a little farther from "post-modern reinterpretation" and actually added some stylistically-relevant ornament to some of the precast, e.g. the cornices - as it is now, while the workmanship/craftsmanship of the precast may indeed be top-notch (I'll defer to you on that one!) it's just so jarringly stark, visually. I suppose it just gets back to the overall architectural critique of this one being lost in an unpleasant nether-region between being a true revivalist (even the same architect's recent 65 E. Goethe, while suffering some similar issues, did a little better on this front) and being post-modern, which while often used as a slur on these forums can actually produce some very attractive and iconic buildings (e.g. the nearby 900 N. Michigan).

Couldn;t agree more. If your going to do it, do it all the way. It's an underwhelming gray area as it it stands.

wrab · #**1412** Posted **May 20, 2009, 5:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ For those of you who hate this building, I advise you to take a good look at Grand Plaza's massive parking podium.

I'll take this "pottery barn" auto court over that any day of the week.

Right - but that isn't the "choice" at play here. There is a continuum. And Chicago has some pretty impressive yardsticks to measure/compare.

jc5680 · #**1413** Posted **May 20, 2009, 6:27 PM**

5.20

Chicago Shawn · #**1414** Posted **May 22, 2009, 2:22 AM**

From the Hancock Observatory 05-04-09

10 East Delaware

Ch.G, Ch.G · #**1415** Posted **May 22, 2009, 5:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

I suppose it just gets back to the overall architectural critique of this one being lost in an unpleasant nether-region between being a true revivalist (even the same architect's recent 65 E. Goethe, while suffering some similar issues, did a little better on this front) and being post-modern, which while often used as a slur on these forums can actually produce some very attractive and iconic buildings (e.g. the nearby 900 N. Michigan).

This is a good point. There are buildings that try to "trick" you and ones that simply attempt to reinterpret historical references using a modern vocabulary. All of Lagrange's faux French nonsense falls into the first category, while the latter includes buildings like R.R. Donnelley, 190 S. LaSalle, AT&T in New York, PPG Place, etc.

Here's the way I see it:

Phillip Johnson : abstraction :: Lucien Lagrange : caricature

It's like Lagrange tries to trick you, but doesn't have the discipline to pull it off-- an exaggerated French accent rather than a true francophone.

Fabb · #**1416** Posted **May 26, 2009, 6:10 PM**

dropdeaded209 · #**1417** Posted **May 26, 2009, 10:55 PM**

perhaps the best thing about the elysian is that looking from west to east is it disappears into 900 N. Michigan.

george · #**1418** Posted **May 28, 2009, 10:10 PM**

5-28-09

VivaLFuego · #**1419** Posted **May 29, 2009, 2:40 PM**

I'm still irked that this is only like, 50 dwelling units. I mean it's still a step up from the 7-11 with parking lot, but...

ungerdog · #**1420** Posted **May 29, 2009, 4:23 PM**

George, that 2nd picture you posted seems to show a nice sized balcony. Does anyone know if that is a hotel room or residential unit attached to that balcony?