LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by Radio5

Not as good as the original, but at least it means the project is still alive. Good find

I actually prefer this new design (although there are some tweaks I’d make) mainly because I think it would age better and also because I think all-glass buildings leave more room for disappointment and are more prosaic in general.

[Illithid Dude]

I think I prefer the newer design as well. Both designs are very nice. It's a win / win regardless!

[caligrad]

I'll chime in and say I agree that it's an update. Especially since they figure out a way to add balconies without sticking them out on the sides like Onni and others do and its not just all glass.

[Radio5]

Originally Posted by caligrad

I'll chime in and say I agree that it's an update. Especially since they figure out a way to add balconies without sticking them out on the sides like Onni and others do and its not just all glass.

balconies are definitely a bonus, but it looks cheaper and less sleek. Maybe it's the white framing.

[citywatch]

• Video Link

[colemonkee]

Alloy turned out really nice. Here's hoping we get a few more towers in the Arts District to join it.

[caligrad]

I've been referring to it as the new AT&T building (USC building for those who weren't around before 2010) It's so off by itself, imposing when driving up from the south and onto the 101. The only difference is I don't feel I'll ever see it connect with the rest of Downtown in my lifetime.

[Quixote]

^


Urbanize LA

And that by the way is how you do development on a large lot... stand-alone buildings of different heights and designs, with the spaces in between essentially functioning as pedestrian plazas. I consider it DTLA's most consequential project.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by caligrad

I've been referring to it as the new AT&T building (USC building for those who weren't around before 2010) It's so off by itself, imposing when driving up from the south and onto the 101. The only difference is I don't feel I'll ever see it connect with the rest of Downtown in my lifetime.

The only downside is it blocks that great view of downtown you used to get driving on the 6th street bridge.

[scania]

Originally Posted by badrunner

The only downside is it blocks that great view of downtown you used to get driving on the 6th street bridge.

I totally agree…I would say at least 7 of my coworkers have said the same exact thing. The view of DTLA driving across the bridge was EPIC!

[hughfb3]

An article in Urbanize says that Mitsui Fudosan's 50 story tower has been approved by the city.

Also, a shot of the Onni tower under construction. This tower is not looking like the renderings and neither does their Hope+Flower towers... the base looks like renders but the towers... The undulating zig zag balconies were rendered to be more pronounced and the glass is supposed to have contrasting opaqueness at certain heights, but even up close is barely visible. I guess at least the apartments and ground floors of their buildings lease out. Wondering for the Times Mirror buildings next to the historic LA Times Building. Sure they look nice in the renders, I just hope they scale up their materials for this one as it is next to an LA gem

[colemonkee]

I'll hold out judgement until the finishing touches are put on, but in my opinion, Onni hasn't built a good-looking tower since 725 Olive. And even 725 Olive is just "good enough". The Hope+Flower towers are just awful, and hoping they are eventually surrounded with better architecture to the south.

[LAsam]

Yeah, I wouldn't ever really get your hopes up regarding Onni and tower appearance. Mitsui on the other hand...

[caligrad]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

I'll hold out judgement until the finishing touches are put on, but in my opinion, Onni hasn't built a good-looking tower since 725 Olive. And even 725 Olive is just "good enough". The Hope+Flower towers are just awful, and hoping they are eventually surrounded with better architecture to the south.

Pretty much. I just wish Onni would realize that they aren't building in Vancouver, giving them leeway to not use their signature blue/green glass. If Onni gave us a rendering that had champagne-colored windows, I might be ok with it if it meant not getting the Vancouver aesthetic.

[scania]

You won’t really see the balconies until the glass is in place on the balconies. Onni towers might not be all that extravagant in design…but to say they’re awful looking is an extreme stretch. I can guarantee that most people wouldn’t look at Hope and Flower and say to themselves “OMG that’s ugly”, is so, they’re just haters from some other personal reasons. My opinion of course. And let’s keep it real…if you look at Hong Kong and other skylines, there are a ton of blue green glass towers. Onni towers have added so much to the DTLA skyline.

[caligrad]

^^^ I don't think anybody said the Onni buildings look awful, they don't.

There can be tons of blue green glass, but it becomes an issue when it starts to become uniform and copy/paste, especially when in such close proximity.

It's like taking the 4 buildings from Metropolis, putting 2 in south park and the other 2 in the historic core. Different heights but same everything else.

It's great for Density. Great for getting more feet on the ground, cheaper for the developer to copy/paste but what you lose is the aesthetic of the skyline and honestly your experience on street level the same way the cookie cutter housing developments do in the suburbs.

[ed21x]

Originally Posted by caligrad

^^^ I don't think anybody said the Onni buildings look awful, they don't.

There can be tons of blue green glass, but it becomes an issue when it starts to become uniform and copy/paste, especially when in such close proximity.

It's like taking the 4 buildings from Metropolis, putting 2 in south park and the other 2 in the historic core. Different heights but same everything else.

It's great for Density. Great for getting more feet on the ground, cheaper for the developer to copy/paste but what you lose is the aesthetic of the skyline and honestly your experience on street level the same way the cookie cutter housing developments do in the suburbs.

I know everyone here wants to have original world-class designs, but LA is unfortunately so far behind that anything by Onni is an improvement over what we currently have. If you let perfect get in the way of better, nothing will ever get accomplished. I say let us fill the skyline with generic glass towers so we at least has something before we start talking about actually having something nice.

[craigs]

I don't think Olympic + Hill looks terrible. I mean, it's not gorgeous but it is good, basic infill. Also, I think we should praise Onni for its solid track record of actually building out its downtown proposals.

[scania]

Originally Posted by craigs

I don't think Olympic + Hill looks terrible. I mean, it's not gorgeous but it is good, basic infill. Also, I think we should praise Onni for its solid track record of actually building out its downtown proposals.

I totally agree. And their buildings have slightly enough variations till where it’s not like they look exactly alike.

[hughfb3]

The balcony glass is in place up till the first setback.