I think I will probably end up liking this building. It has some features that I really do like, such as the hole at the top. I'm curious to see how they'll light that at night as well as the glass that wraps the top. That has the potential to be pretty dramatic.
I think the color potentially could end up being really unique compared to what we have so far. Yes, it has blue glass, but the (metal?) panels almost look like graphite in the renderings. I think the potential is there for some nice subdued contrast.
I really like the setbacks. I'm kind of a sucker for setbacks. I like that they break up the monotony a bit. And I think they actually emphasize the height rather than downplay it. I mean, that last setback on this building is at 655 feet - higher than the main roof on both The Austonian and The Independent.
One thing is that I think it'll end up looking like a different building from every side. I sort of like that but at the same time some buildings that appear different from every angle sort of bug me because I may not like some of those sides, either because of their shape or the facade design.
The one thing that bugs me the most is the office/residential transition, especially on the west side. I like the look of the angled office portion when you're viewing it from the south and southwest, but as you round the corner and see it from the west, that is where it does look clumsy. I'm not really a fan of angled buildings just because they sometimes look awkward in the way facades come together sometimes. I will say that probably the best side of the building for the way the angled office portion meshes with the residential levels is from the northeast corner looking southwest. That side, at least, has a real unifying look to it. I think also the crown on that side is going to look impressive at night since the glass portion of the crown on the north side seems to be taller.
I'm also worried about how the parking podium will look. It looks massive and I'm seeing too much blankness on it for my liking, especially at street level. I'm worried about what kind of street interaction it'll have, which is crazy because this thing should be wrapped with retail as an anchor to the neighborhood.
Otherwise, I really like it. I generally like the top, the setbacks, the color and materials. My two favorite sides would have to be the south and east sides, and the view from the northeast and southwest. Overall, I'm in disbelief that we're getting something that tall. I can't complain.
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