PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[Human Scale]

It's like fake plants. If you can't decorate with real plants then DECORATE WITH SOMETHING ELSE

[Teakwood]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Yeah those Toll Bros houses are A-1 terrible. There is something very very wrong when, as a preliminary design, this doesn't result in a crumpled ball of paper at the architecture firm and never reaches the light of day. Where in the entire history of western architecture have you seen the facade above the top floor windows look like that? How can anyone be proud of this? The design is retarded—in the actual sense of the word.

To be fair, the bar has been set reaaaaaally low on that stretch of South Street:

https://goo.gl/maps/DC8CTR9n5Mr
https://goo.gl/maps/uhQAw8CbUGU2
https://goo.gl/maps/JZ5PRpYPF9T2

and of course:
https://goo.gl/maps/uZvjpmYweTp

At least the infill closer to Broad doesn't completely kill the pedestrian experience.

[br323206]

Originally Posted by Scottydont

Funny, fake shutters are more preferred to me then just a flat brick wall.

Yea it is definitely:

Real shutters > fake shutters > no shutters

Honestly, most people don't notice the difference. Only architects and architecture geeks (so, us) care.

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by br323206

Yea it is definitely:

Real shutters > fake shutters > no shutters

Honestly, most people don't notice the difference. Only architects and architecture geeks (so, us) care.

There's my least favorite sentiment: "no one will care so why should I?"

Specifically regarding the shutters, I also believe there is a cultural variable here as many Americans are largely ignorant of architecture and good design is hardly second nature in our society—especially emphasized in the suburban sprawl era. No way bullshit like those shutters would fly in Europe.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

There's my least favorite sentiment: "no one will care so why should I?"

Specifically regarding the shutters, I also believe there is a cultural variable here as many Americans are largely ignorant of architecture and good design is hardly second nature in our society—especially emphasized in the suburban sprawl era. No way bullshit like those shutters would fly in Europe.

Factor in cost and maintenance for real wood shutters, and the majority will opt for fake composite shutters. From a distance, it's hard to tell. But, you will find real shutters down in the South on their homes-also used as a purpose to protect windows during tropical storms and the like.

[McBane]

I didn't notice the fake shutters per se, but the overall makeup of the project is painfully fake and this is a terrible example of faux colonial crap that developers need to stop with already. 24th and South isn't even Old City or Society Hill but I wouldn't expect Toll to be creative at all.

But really, the worst part of this project is the lack of ground floor retail.

How is it that our zoning code permits non-commercial ground floor uses for commercial thoroughfares?

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by Human Scale

It's like fake plants. If you can't decorate with real plants then DECORATE WITH SOMETHING ELSE

Unless it's Wildwood. Fake palm trees rock.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by McBane

I didn't notice the fake shutters per se, but the overall makeup of the project is painfully fake and this is a terrible example of faux colonial crap that developers need to stop with already. 24th and South isn't even Old City or Society Hill but I wouldn't expect Toll to be creative at all.

But really, the worst part of this project is the lack of ground floor retail.

How is it that our zoning code permits non-commercial ground floor uses for commercial thoroughfares?

I think the vinyl windows are more offensive than the fiberglass shutters.

I'm sorry, but if you're selling a product for $600/SF you would think you could splurge for a nice clad window that looks painted and is maintenance free. The cost differential per unit (probably an extra $150-$200 window) would be more than made up for in improved value and resale.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I think the vinyl windows are more offensive than the fiberglass shutters.

I'm sorry, but if you're selling a product for $600/SF you would think you could splurge for a nice clad window that looks painted and is maintenance free. The cost differential per unit (probably an extra $150-$200 window) would be more than made up for in improved value and resale.

Toll Bros really just blows. That's what it comes down to.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

Toll Bros really just blows. That's what it comes down to.

The stuff they choose to build in Philly is really crap. Elsewhere, they are not as bad.

[Busy Bee]

What the shutters are made of isn't at all most of the offense at hand. Shutters have architectural rules that are frequently broken, especially true in the US and Canada with post-war suburban housing. A great overview of shutter guidelines and all around great blog can be read here—I recommend reading it for anyone interested: http://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/residential-architecture-101-shutters/

[br323206]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

There's my least favorite sentiment: "no one will care so why should I?"

Specifically regarding the shutters, I also believe there is a cultural variable here as many Americans are largely ignorant of architecture and good design is hardly second nature in our society—especially emphasized in the suburban sprawl era. No way bullshit like those shutters would fly in Europe.

That's not what I said. No one notices except for us because it's really not that big a deal. We don't use shutters any more, so why do I care if they actually shut? I agree they should be properly proportioned, but some people might not care and that's ok too. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

And my least favorite sentiment: "No way that bullshit would fly in Europe."

Why is something superior just because they do it that way in Europe? Maybe they don't build houses with fake shutters in London, but they build this schlock:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.6002603,...KyiNO3Ma4TgNg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

[summersm343]

3935 Chestnut Street - Ronald McDonald House expansion - 8 floors

Detailed architectural plans are now in place for an expansion of our Chestnut Street property to add 92 bedrooms while modernizing others, more than doubling our capacity to house, feed and nurture families through social and other support services. By expanding our footprint to encompass two adjacent lots, the project will create a new 8-story building featuring 92 guest rooms. Along with the renovation of our existing structures, this expansion will allow us to go from serving approximately 800 families annually over the past three years to an estimated 1,900 families, and increasing our available room nights from around 16,000 to more than 40,000 per year.

http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/we...-rendering-for-ronald-mcdonald-expansion

[Tlphila]

Originally Posted by summersm343

3935 Chestnut Street - Ronald McDonald House expansion - 8 floors





http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/we...-rendering-for-ronald-mcdonald-expansion

Beat me to it Sums! Looks pretty awesome actually!

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by br323206

That's not what I said. No one notices except for us because it's really not that big a deal. We don't use shutters any more, so why do I care if they actually shut? I agree they should be properly proportioned, but some people might not care and that's ok too. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

And my least favorite sentiment: "No way that bullshit would fly in Europe."

Why is something superior just because they do it that way in Europe? Maybe they don't build houses with fake shutters in London, but they build this schlock:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.6002603,...KyiNO3Ma4TgNg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

They built that schlock... No way anything that hideous would be built these days, just as no American PHA would build anything that bad. I'm not saying Europe is 100% awesome and can do no wrong, what I am saying is that there is a much broader sense amongst ordinarily people, private parties and governments of what is good design than compared to the US. I don't think that's subjective observation either, I think it's a reality—most of their built environment is just higher quality than ours—granted there are many cultural and societal variables that are responsible for this.

[VikingDutchman]

Originally Posted by summersm343

3935 Chestnut Street - Ronald McDonald House expansion - 8 floors





http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/we...-rendering-for-ronald-mcdonald-expansion

This is one of those renders where I'm a little wary it might not look as good IRL.

But if it does, this is pretty cool.

[Tlphila]

Parkway's N. Broad St. project coming along


Perry World House @ Penn

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by VikingDutchman

This is one of those renders where I'm a little wary it might not look as good IRL.

But if it does, this is pretty cool.

Yea I hope it looks as good as it does in the renders. This development better be amazing because they destroyed to Furnesses to create it.

[boxbot]

What if the Phillies ballpark was built in Center City?

[Human Scale]

Originally Posted by boxbot

What if the Phillies ballpark was built in Center City?

^The option seen in the photo would have cut 15th. Keep the grid in tact. The option at Penn park was best, especially for view, access, and player sight lines out of sun.