LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0 - Page 488

Quixote · #**9741** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 3:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

ugh. mcmansion on steroids.

But RAMSA's work is a tasteful blend of classic and modern, on top of being super high-end ("McMansion" implies cheap).

I'd lament the choice if WDCH and Broad weren't across the street. I believe a hotel/residential tower shouldn't distract from those two jewels. Let the cultural institutions have the spotlight.

inSaeculaSaeculorum · #**9742** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 3:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackcat23

http://buildinglosangeles.blogspot.com/2013/09/robert-am-stern-to-design-phase-1a-of.html

Robert A.M. Stern will design Phase 1A of the Grand Avenue project.

Los Angeles keeps lowering the bar

colemonkee · #**9743** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 4:05 AM**

I'll take Stern. He's done some excellent work in New York and Philly over the last 10 years, and the Century City tower, while not my favorite, at least has some staying power and class to it. I'd be very interested in what he comes up with for Grand Ave. The 32-story apartment tower they're building across the street from the Hudson Yards in NY has some amazing facade details that are not only contextual to the area's industrial past, but in stark contrast to the glassy, pointy, modern towers going up across the street. I welcome what they have to offer.

Spantik · #**9744** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 4:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by inSaeculaSaeculorum

Los Angeles keeps lowering the bar

There's nothing lower than the OBSCENE parking structure that this is replacing.
Have you ever seen it in person? It's a giant middle finger to the concert hall. Even a TCA designed box would be better than that piece of shit.

alki · #**9745** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 4:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

ugh. mcmansion on steroids.

Apparently, its only the residential tower that is getting built any time soon.......and that's fairly conservative. Its supposed to be similar to their tower near the Broad Museum. Its not exciting architecture but its not horrendous either.

alki · #**9746** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 4:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spantik

There's nothing lower than the OBSCENE parking structure that this is replacing.
Have you ever seen it in person? It's a giant middle finger to the concert hall. Even a TCA designed box would be better than that piece of shit.

Agreed. That is one ugly parking garage.

inSaeculaSaeculorum · #**9747** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 4:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spantik

There's nothing lower than the OBSCENE parking structure that this is replacing.
Have you ever seen it in person? It's a giant middle finger to the concert hall. Even a TCA designed box would be better than that piece of shit.

by this logic lets build a carls jr on this lot.

brudy · #**9748** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 4:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muji

Well, let's not be so hasty. Stern's buildings typically take good cues from their surrounding contexts, and while many of their residential towers have leaned to Classical Revival, they have also typically been in older East Coast neighborhoods. Recently, they've done decent job with more contemporary-looking towers, especially the Comcast Center and some recent work for Drexel. I highly doubt that they would propose anything out of place for Bunker Hill. I wouldn't mind at all if we ended up with something like the Clarendon in Boston, which was also developed by Related.

I'm not happy with this choice. At the epicenter of serious world class architecture and culture we could be swallowing a huge architectural sleeping pill.
I worked a block from the Clarendon in Boston - it is nothing but incredibly boring. Seriously. It's not ugly, or 80s, it's just boring. It inspires nothing. The Comcast Center in Philly is standard international fare, although a little more interesting than the Clarendon. In what world do you hire a firm that aims to snooze with the Broad, the WDCH, and the Music Center across the street?

brudy · #**9749** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 4:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spantik

There's nothing lower than the OBSCENE parking structure that this is replacing.
Have you ever seen it in person? It's a giant middle finger to the concert hall. Even a TCA designed box would be better than that piece of shit.

This way of thinking is so short sighted. I'd rather wait a few more years and get a world-class building that complements its surroundings. Not a TCA piece of junk or a Stern snoozer. We will have to live with this building for DECADES! Why would anybody settle for mediocre?

Spantik · #**9750** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 7:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by brudy

This way of thinking is so short sighted. I'd rather wait a few more years and get a world-class building that complements its surroundings. Not a TCA piece of junk or a Stern snoozer. We will have to live with this building for DECADES! Why would anybody settle for mediocre?

The TCA thing was more of a joke, believe me, I don't want that either. I just have a major vendetta against that parking structure. I hate it more than any other structure in downtown. Im sure whatever gets built will be nice, to say the least, and waaaaaaaaay above TCA level (thank god).

brudy · #**9751** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 4:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spantik

The TCA thing was more of a joke, believe me, I don't want that either. I just have a major vendetta against that parking structure. I hate it more than any other structure in downtown. Im sure whatever gets built will be nice, to say the least, and waaaaaaaaay above TCA level (thank god).

Yeah, that structure is seriously awful, definitely one of the worst in downtown, if not the worst. I just want a great design that there will make Grand grander.

blackcat23 · #**9752** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 5:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quixote

But RAMSA's work is a tasteful blend of classic and modern, on top of being super high-end ("McMansion" implies cheap).

I'd lament the choice if WDCH and Broad weren't across the street. I believe a hotel/residential tower shouldn't distract from those two jewels. Let the cultural institutions have the spotlight.

I was surprised to see some fairly negative reactinos to the news. Maybe everyone is judging them based off of the Century? That's certainly not RAMSA's best work.

Should be interesting to see what they come up with to mesh with Disney Hall and the Broad museum. Probably won't have the same "wow," factor as Gehry's design.

brudy · #**9753** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 6:31 PM**

I hadn't realized they had also done 222 Berkeley St in Boston, another complete snoozer. Looking through their portfolio work on their site, it's all pretty staid. I'm a graphic designer, so I know you have to deliver what the client wants, but I'm not exactly inspired by their work. It will be interesting what they can do given the surroundings, if it will push them to do their best, but I'm a little doubtful.

Their style would seem to fit better in Boston or infill projects where distinction isn't called for. I'm seriously unsure if they can design something that a) can be part of the architectural conversation that is that section of Grand and b) accomplish that without looking like it's trying too hard.

brudy · #**9754** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 7:34 PM**

Feel like i'm posting a ton lately, but Gizmodo has a great writeup on the outer skin of the Broad.
http://gizmodo.com/tour-the-concrete-veil-that-floats-above-l-a-s-newes-1348444769

Quixote · #**9755** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 9:52 PM**

Metro just held another workshop to discuss the Union Station Master Plan. Here's a rendering showing more ambitious visions as it pertains to moving the jail facility and building a true urban district in its place. I like this one much better.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/168034425/LAUS-Bd-Workshop-091813-v8-Rev

The Illusive Man · #**9756** Posted **Sep 19, 2013, 11:26 PM**

Wow, now that would be something. I'm hoping for the best!

Virtual Urban Vision · #**9757** Posted **Sep 20, 2013, 12:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quixote

Metro just held another workshop to discuss the Union Station Master Plan. Here's a rendering showing more ambitious visions as it pertains to moving the jail facility and building a true urban district in its place. I like this one much better.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/168034425/LAUS-Bd-Workshop-091813-v8-Rev

This looks good! I'm happy to see Mosaic out of the picture, same for the jails/ LAPD. I hope they keep the sight lines clear from the north along Alameda so the Annex still feels connected to the complex. I also like the mix of open space & appropriately scaled commercial development in order to create a connection to the civic center and LA River. I still feel like the The Plaza would be better served by the Gold Line with a stop in front of the station as opposed to the rear. All in all I would say Metro is on the right track.

The Illusive Man · #**9758** Posted **Sep 20, 2013, 12:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virtual Urban Vision

This looks good! I'm happy to see Mosaic out of the picture, same for the jails/ LAPD. I hope they keep the sight lines clear from the north along Alameda so the Annex still feels connected to the complex. I also like the mix of open space & appropriately scaled commercial development in order to create a connection to the civic center and LA River. I still feel like the The Plaza would be better served by the Gold Line with a stop in front of the station as opposed to the rear. All in all I would say Metro is on the right track.

Just look at the river. How amazing would that be? Are those little piers along the river? That would definitely turn into a top destination if this comes to fruition.

brudy · #**9759** Posted **Sep 20, 2013, 12:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Illusive Man

Just look at the river. How amazing would that be? Are those little piers along the river? That would definitely turn into a top destination if this comes to fruition.

Yeah, docks or wildlife viewing platforms or something like that. If this ever happens, it would be amazing. I'm not sure how this gels with the recent Army Corp of Engineers decision on the river restoration?

The Illusive Man · #**9760** Posted **Sep 20, 2013, 2:31 AM**

Actually now that I think about it, those buildings are a terrible idea. It needs to be at least 40 stories high, otherwise LA will never be a true world class walkable city. It also needs a subway, light rail train, and street car going right through. Terrible plan guys. Let's scrap it. It's just not funky and cutting edge enough.