Riddle me this: Is the W Hotel blue or brown?

[lzppjb]

A guy I know rants about what an "ugly turd brown box" the W is and how it's turd brown 85% of daylight hours. He claims I've never lived in a city with many tall buildings (I'm from Austin. He lives here but is from Houston) and that my "ignorance" stems from the fact that I rely on online photos. Every photo I post he says is photoshopped to make it not look brown.

Now, I think he once mentioned his main view of it was from sitting at Shoal Creek Saloon, so maybe he's seeing reflection of another brown building nearby. But every photo I've seen, and every time I've seen it in real life, it's been blue.

I don't care if he thinks it's ugly. Big deal. But he's been claiming the brown thing for over a year.

What say you?

[KevinFromTexas]

I've only ever officially thought of it as being blue. Of course, there are times when it appears grayish depending on the weather.

If you hadn't mentioned he was looking at it from the Shoal Creek Saloon I would have thought he was mixing it up with the JW Marriott, which is blue or brown depending on what side you're looking at. haha

[JoninATX]

It's blue and gray.

I took this picture back in January.

[lzppjb]

Obviously photoshopped.

[lzppjb]

"Turdbox brown is a very unique color… owned by Austin. You can't confuse it with anything else unless you're wearing your homer glasses."


lol

[austlar1]

Taupe, and I think The W is just about the best of the new buildings in downtown Austin. It always looks interesting to me, and I like the way the color seems to change a bit in different weather conditions.

[The ATX]

It has never looked anything other than grey to me.

[lzppjb]

I could see gray sometimes. It's the effect the black has on the blue glass.

[sammyk]

Looks white and gold.

[drummer]

I thought it was orange. I think I need to get my eyes checked.

[ahealy]

it's slate

[tie_guy]

For the most part, I consider it blue. The glass is a reflective blue so it depends on the position of the sun, or lack thereof. Sometime it looks grey when it's cloudy. Aside from the glass, the other material looks like a matte grey (appearing black in lower light). That give it a sleek look imo While the dimensions of it are simplistic, I love this building. It just goes to show that with the right materials, even a square/rectangular building can have heightened appeal. The W is not brown unless you are looking at the reflection of a brown building or just color blind.

CRYING at sammyk's comment

[ToTheSky]

Originally Posted by sammyk

Looks white and gold.

Awesome! I say the W is PINK. What's wrong with all of you color blind folks??

[Clev]

I've always thought it was navy and blackish gray.

[tie_guy]

Originally Posted by ToTheSky

Awesome! I say the W is PINK. What's wrong with all of you color blind folks??

That was a reference to the circulating picture of that black/blue dress that looks gold when the colors are inverted ha

[Jdawgboy]

The guy that thinks it's ugly brown must be color blind, it's obviously grayish (ahealy said it perfect) slate with blue windows.

[KevinFromTexas]

I have seen it in the late afternoon with the sun hitting that gray part, and it did look somewhat brown. I guess rust color would be the best way to describe it then. Whatever that gray facade material is, I think they planned it so it would be somewhat reflective of the light coming at it the same way the glass does.

The Bank of America Center is another interesting one. Most of the time it looks black, but if you up close it's almost more brown than black. Especially if you view it in the late afternoon/evening with a setting sun, it's pretty brown/rust colored then. Really, though, light has everything to do with how our eyes perceive color.

[KevinFromTexas]

The W really is one of the coolest new buildings we have. I know it's a box, but I really think of it as being Austin's Fountain Place. It's big, it's cool and isn't lit up at night.

https://www.facebook.com/overaustin/...type=1&theater

[Syndic]

It's grey. With an e, because that's how we spell it in 'Murica.

[ToTheSky]

Originally Posted by tie_guy

That was a reference to the circulating picture of that black/blue dress that looks gold when the colors are inverted ha

I know, that's what was so awesome about his comment. I did get that. I was making my own not so funny joke in reference to the whole dress conundrum, even though in no way would the W appear pink even with the color inverted. Not that I've tried it so I honestly don't know what it would look like now that I'm thinking about it. I say someone should invert the color on a good photo of the W and we'll see!
In all seriousness, to me the W almost appears so dark gray that it seems black with blue-ish silver windows. You know it is said that us men don't see color as well as the ladies, at least when it comes to shades of blue, green and yellow. I know there are one or two women about on this forum, maybe they can chime in here with their opinions.