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[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

Are you sure? I don't think that's the case. The reflectivity is different. It looks like obscure glass to me. Look at the glass adjacent to the balconies.

We had this glass discussion earlier in the thread. I'm not sure what pages it was on, but you may find more info there.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

Are you sure? I don't think that's the case. The reflectivity is different. It looks like obscure glass to me. Look at the glass adjacent to the balconies.

Yea. I'm pretty sure. I look at it nearly every day. I saw most of it when it originally went up. i.e. Before they started on the inside. From a distance, I'm guessing that you can't tell the difference (as opposed to up close).

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by paul78701

Yea. I'm pretty sure. I look at it nearly every day. I saw most of it when it originally went up. i.e. Before they started on the inside. From a distance, I'm guessing that you can't tell the difference (as opposed to up close).

I'm in the frosted glass camp. My mom is in 360 and looking at it go up I am 99% sure its a different type finish or tint.

[AustinGoesVertical]

Originally Posted by ahealy

I'm in the frosted glass camp. My mom is in 360 and looking at it go up I am 99% sure its a different type finish or tint.

Earlier in the thread, we determined that they were spandrel panels, where an interior wall is placed right up against the window. However, there has absolutely been some sort of finish applied to each panel (frosted glass looks right). Also, I'm dubious about their placement because I didn't see any sort of framing up against these panels when they went up and I just can't imagine that those corner windows are truly walled in. Could that be? Seems like that would be an odd place to obstruct an owner's exterior views. All around, it's pretty strange. I can't think of any other building where it's this blatant and not an aesthetic decision.

[IluvATX]

Originally Posted by AustinGoesVertical

Earlier in the thread, we determined that they were spandrel panels, where an interior wall is placed right up against the window. However, there has absolutely been some sort of finish applied to each panel (frosted glass looks right). Also, I'm dubious about their placement because I didn't see any sort of framing up against these panels when they went up and I just can't imagine that those corner windows are truly walled in. Could that be? Seems like that would be an odd place to obstruct an owner's exterior views. All around, it's pretty strange. I can't think of any other building where it's this blatant and not an aesthetic decision.

Exactly. There is no frosting on the Windows. The opaque panels are all spandrel. The area below the cantilever is finished product.

[Jdawgboy]

I don't know what to think about how those windows look. Probably will hold out judgment until it's fully built.

[IluvATX]

There will be framing around every spandrel panel. You can't see though them at all. How else would an interior wall bisect the exterior? It just looks better to have all glass than some aluminum cladding over each.

[hookem]

I'm finding all this about spandrel panels very confusing, and I know very little about this sort of construction... but count me in the group that thinks the glass is frosted.

I understand that a spandrel panel will cover an interior wall, or partial interior wall, and basically not be exposed in any interior living space. It will be covered on the inside with drywall, or a cement wall, or interior panel of some sort. It makes sense that whatever low-E or special insulation or tinting that might be on a window that is part of a living area would be omitted from a spandrel glass panel -- probably for cost savings. Or the insulation properties would be achieved in a different way, such as frosting or opaque glass.

I looked it up, it seems pretty clear (pardon the pun) that the glass used would be different - http://www.viracon.com/page/spandrel

The panels on the corner balconies do seem odd, as they definitely block what would be a nice view from the balcony. But I think they are covering structural cement walls. Notice how on the most recent photos, you can still see a few of the interior panels which don't have their drywall behind them, yet the ones on the edge are all covered up on the interior?

I looked at some older photos prior to the glass-in of the bottom section, and does appear that the corner balconies are walled-in on the sides with what looks like a cement wall (look at the first floor with glass)...

[IluvATX]

But why would they compromise the view unless the glass has to be like that. I'm sure that southeast corner will have some kind of framing around it. There's no way the glass is frosted in the sense that you can see through it.

[hookem]

Originally Posted by IluvATX

But why would they compromise the view unless the glass has to be like that. I'm sure that southeast corner will have some kind of framing around it. There's no way the glass is frosted in the sense that you can see through it.

Again, just a layman here but I notice that those balconies are on the lengthy cantilevered side. Perhaps the cement wall is needed to add some structural rigidity to those corner balconies? I do agree it is odd to have a corner balcony that you can only see out one side... but perhaps it is better than having a column or structural wall blocking the interior view to that direction.

[AustinGoesVertical]

That's interesting, so looks like they truly did wall in the corners to form that indented balcony. That link hookem posted has a whole section that discusses the nuances of matching spandrel panels with the vision-glass of the rest of the exterior. It's confounding that they didn't create sample mockups to determine how to match them properly.

And if they were set on using the other style glass on the rest of the building (which looks great btw), then they maybe had to look long and hard at reconfiguring the placement of the balconies and intersection of the interior walls. I mean, it kind of negates the value-add of a corner unit. I've really never seen a building have such a mismatch before.

On the frosted glass, it looks like they place some sort of finish on it. You can see that some of the spandrel panels are already discolored but more translucent even though the interior wall is already in place. They're either inserting another panel behind it, or generating some sort of finish to the glass (which kind of seems unlikely, since you'd think they'd arrive pre-set)

Either way, this is sort of a minor blemish on an otherwise nice looking building.

[IluvATX]

On the above picture I just noticed the first floor is framed in on the corner. Maybe it's a closet? Or just dead space?

[Urbannizer]

austin skyline by Chris McCully, on Flickr

[CastleScott]

^ Nice pics, this one is really moving along!!!

[AustinGoesVertical]

Let’s add to the window intrigue. On my daily walk past the building I noticed a section of the building where an interior wall does bisect the exterior and there’s no differentiation in glass. Beyond that, the dead space on the corner truly looks to be dead space. The clear glass is definitely insulated with a frosted panel (one that was placed after the fact). Problem is... there’s no bisection of any interior wall. Whole thing is strange (and none of the color disparity was in the rendering).

[Sigaven]

I'm sure this has been discussed sometime in the past, so hopefully someone can indulge my laziness. Is there going to be some sort of plaza between the building and the footbridge over Shoal Creek? Or are they going to extend 3rd Street to front the building but dead end at the creek? There's restaurant space for sale on the ground floor of the building, so just trying to picture how people are going to enter this building and enter the restaurant. And I guess they're gonna have lovely views of the substation

[chundercracker]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

I'm sure this has been discussed sometime in the past, so hopefully someone can indulge my laziness. Is there going to be some sort of plaza between the building and the footbridge over Shoal Creek? Or are they going to extend 3rd Street to front the building but dead end at the creek? There's restaurant space for sale on the ground floor of the building, so just trying to picture how people are going to enter this building and enter the restaurant. And I guess they're gonna have lovely views of the substation

A little bit of both... there's a rendering on a giant poster near the construction site of what the plaza/driveway will look like in the front of the building. There's also another rendering of it from their brochure.

[resansom]

Originally Posted by AustinGoesVertical

Let’s add to the window intrigue. On my daily walk past the building I noticed a section of the building where an interior wall does bisect the exterior and there’s no differentiation in glass. Beyond that, the dead space on the corner truly looks to be dead space. The clear glass is definitely insulated with a frosted panel (one that was placed after the fact). Problem is... there’s no bisection of any interior wall. Whole thing is strange (and none of the color disparity was in the rendering).

I haven't seen any night renderings of the Independent - I wonder if the frosted corner ("dead space") sections will be illuminated?

[JoninATX]

Originally Posted by resansom

I haven't seen any night renderings of the Independent - I wonder if the frosted corner ("dead space") sections will be illuminated?

It may just be the support columns behind the glass.

Here's a night rendering

[Sigaven]

Wish they were more thoughtful in dressing up that parking garage.