Quote:
Originally Posted by wwmiv
I mean it isn’t ugly.... but it isn’t anything to write home about. Whether I actually want it built has more to do with ground level aesthetic and presence simply because the tower is at least not ugly. If it brings something good to the street, let it be filler. Austin is rapidly getting to the point where most of what we have is filler, and I am okay with that as long as it activates the street. Not every building needs to be a statement piece, and this will be across the street from one and the one which will be Austin’s tallest when it is completed. It being filler and specifically filler that draws attention to that statement piece across the street I think is totally appropriate in this context dare I even say remarkable that so many people have such small minds when it comes to this stuff. Most of these things are gonna happen, so you might as find something you like about each project. Trust me, you’ll be happier that way.
I also like the logo. I also think that the building has comparatively less parking, which is a step in the right direction, and that the parking garage is masked decently, which is also a step in the right direction. I also notice that the glass has a pattern to it, which adds texture.
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First, Agreed on the logo.
But I agree for the most part with you, and disagree to some extent. I think if this building were also 840-ish feet tall, it would be the better of the two buildings. But, 6xGuad came first, so it's the basis for what we compare everything that comes after. This is on a smaller footprint, and seems to not have a gigantic focus on parking. I'll be all for a larger building where people don't (or can't) have cars, since that adds a big population that pushes more for public transit. Even then, if I were picking between the two, I might rather have this building just because I'm really not a fan of developments that use one building to take up an entire city block, unless they're truly something special.
But, this building just isn't different enough from 6xGuad for me to like. If 6xGuad didn't exist, I'd love this. But it does, and it's under construction, so now we seemingly this BBVA building, which is almost identical save for some small bits. And having unique buildings verses identical "off white and blue glass, mostly rectangular buildings" is what differentiates a skyline like Chicago's and New York's from skylines like Vancouver.
I mean even to compare two Canadian cities, Vancouver and Calgary, I have no doubt that Vancouver is the better place to live ($$ not withstanding). But Calgary has a
much better skyline, if only because all of the buildings don't look so similar. In Vancouver, we see exactly what we're seeing with this BBVA building, except mostly with condos. One condo building goes up, and then another goes up right next to it that's 95% identical....
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