Quote:
Originally Posted by jstush04
^ not trying to toot your horn or anything, honte, but that whole entire post was simply amazing. So completely unbiasedly analytical, and I have to agree with it all
But on the subjective side of things, even though I am far from excited about this building, I've still adopted a "good enough" feeling about the building. I mean, plain and simple, its too late for this building, so I might as well convince myself that things aren't so bad. and you know what, in the world of pick-and-choose comparisons, things just aren't so bad. There are buildings in downtown spread around that I'm just embarrassed to look at, and so far Elysian is not one of those buildings
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Thanks, Jstush. In the scheme of things, I agree with you: There are far worse buildings than the Elysian to gripe about. I mean, we have stuff going on that borders on incompetence. Philosophically, however, LaGrange's stuff takes the cake for me, partly because of the market segment they are targeting, and also partly because it
is a competent firm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CenIL_LA
The only thing an architect can really do is stick up for their designs the best they can. Generally the only thing they can honestly ask for is that legally thier designs are meeting the safety and welfare of the occupants or walk away forfitting costs assumed. A developer will listen to a designer but in the end they are most concerned with thier wallet. They are also concerned that they wont get sued while somewhat meeting the architects vision to thier own standards. If a developer wants to skimp on materials/better details they will certainly do it, and they do. I would agree I would love to see this POMO done with the greatest care but we would need a different class of developer in Chicago to do that. An architect selling thier soul, does it because they need the job/market to keep thier companies or employees afloat. If someone is always willing to completely bend over to get a job, you better be at least willing to put up with a few things you dont like. Few architects honestly want to design crap.
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Of course, you are correct. Nothing is so cut-and-dry and it is unfair to blame it all on the architect. Generally speaking, I try to critique the design rather than the designer for this exact reason.
But LaGrange set himself up for this, IMO. First, he's the only Chicago architect audacious enough to willfully promote himself as a "Starchitect." This has, unbelievably, been in the press several times. Now, what kind of Starchitect is submissive to the cheap developer? I can just hear Frank Gehry now, "OK, fine, do it in shake shingles if you must..."
Second, LaGrange has on many occasions willfully talked clients out of more modern or progressive design agendas.
He brought this upon himself, and I have no reason to believe that he is not 100% comfortable with the product he is producing. He tends to be very defensive of it, actually.
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