CHICAGO | General Developments

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Project: The Wabash Lights


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PDF: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkhjn0cfsq...eck-WBC_05.pdf (Renderings, info on the project)

This would be great if it were white light a la the Bay Bridge in SF. But that colored shit is nasty.

There has been talk about 'revitalizing' Wabash in the Loop for some time. I always thought a hanging garden-type thing would be great, if only from just the columns (hanging from track would probably violate code for having stuff hang above the roadway). Rather than try to counteract the dark, secluded feeling the track creates, why not augment it? You could create a lush, cozy, forest-like environment if you do it right.

[Via Chicago]

yup looks tacky as hell. this whole "customizable colored LED" trend is the lava lamp of the 2010s.

we have beautiful industrial architecture in this city. it dosent need cheap gimmicks to somehow be validated.

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by BrinChi

Anyone know if it means the existing building will be demolished? I would hope for at least a facadectomy.

im pretty confused by the article since it mentions a 6 story height limit for the hotel develpment. but Ace seems to be the kind of brand that prefers to rehab old buildings and maintain most of their integrity

[HomrQT]

Originally Posted by Jibba

This would be great if it were white light a la the Bay Bridge in SF. But that colored shit is nasty.

There has been talk about 'revitalizing' Wabash in the Loop for some time. I always thought a hanging garden-type thing would be great, if only from just the columns (hanging from track would probably violate code for having stuff hang above the roadway). Rather than try to counteract the dark, secluded feeling the track creates, why not augment it? You could create a lush, cozy, forest-like environment if you do it right.

Wow, couldn't agree more. There are much more tasteful ways to demonstrate our city.

[wierdaaron]

Since they're going to be trashing 2 stations on Wabash and building a brand new one, now is probably the time to start thinking about work that can be done to improve the experience since the red tape is already being cut. The nice thing about configurable LEDs is that the designs/patterns/colors could be changed as style tastes change. Maybe we get sick of colors, so they just make them all white lights. Better than nothing.

It would be nice if they could get ivy or some kind of climbing plant to grow all under there, like a canopy of green, but I don't know if they could get enough sunlight, and whatever goop drips off the train tracks probably isn't plant-friendly.

[LouisVanDerWright]

I would prefer to keep the L from having plants on it. It's probably a maintenance nightmare (ivy will grow into any crack it can and retains water, probably a worst case scenario for rust). Also, the exposed iron of Chicago's L is probably one of the most identifiable traits of the city. It's one placemaking feature of the city that I knew about before I had ever even stepped foot here or contemplated this place:


ytimg.com

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

yup looks tacky as hell. this whole "customizable colored LED" trend is the lava lamp of the 2010s.

we have beautiful industrial architecture in this city. it dosent need cheap gimmicks to somehow be validated.

I disagree. I think LED lighting is the neon of our era. Remember, neon signs were also generally disliked and considered obnoxious during their heyday, but are now cherished. I see absolutely nothing wrong with tastefully using LED's to highlight our city's best assets today. The LED is a miracle technology and can be used to do some pretty amazing things.

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

im pretty confused by the article since it mentions a 6 story height limit for the hotel develpment. but Ace seems to be the kind of brand that prefers to rehab old buildings and maintain most of their integrity

Maybe they plan to build on top of it. A lot of old industrial buildings in this style were designed to take significant additional loads because, in the past, you couldn't expand outwards if your business grew, so you expanded upwards. There is no way the current building could effectively house an ACE hotel so they must be expanding or building new.

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Maybe they plan to build on top of it. A lot of old industrial buildings in this style were designed to take significant additional loads because, in the past, you couldn't expand outwards if your business grew, so you expanded upwards. There is no way the current building could effectively house an ACE hotel so they must be expanding or building new.

yeah im not too worried, theyre pretty design conscious. if they can do a rehab and match the brick to add some floors it could look really handsome.

as far as the LED thing, it just seems like its trying to turn something thats already timeless into some sort of whiz-bang attraction. if you go for trendy its going to look trendy for a short period of time...and then its going to look tired and outdated very quickly. and it just dosent feel very unique or creative as costs are coming down and more and more bridges/buildings are incorporating it.

i guess im a purist at heart though.

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Chicago greenhouse to be largest rooftop installation




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http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-veget....kuzmCbSA.dpuf

Awesome! If urban agriculture continues to be a bigger part of city life (and I sincerely hope it is) we need more projects just like this to prove its viable in this format: multiple floors and rooftops. Enough with the stupid ground-level urban gardens, city real estate is far too valuable and we collectively have invested far too much into urban infrastructure for this type of low-intensity land use. Especially so in a 4 season climate and likely heavy soil contamination. Reusing obsolete multi-story warehouses with hydroponics and rooftop greenhouses are absolutely the way to go. Indoor farming can provide for 3 growing seasons per year, is far less water intensive and is protected from disease and insect infestations. I'd like to see someone take a crack a agricultural high-rise as has been often proposed conceptually, but not seriously (yet).

[wierdaaron]

To keep the iconic look under the L tracks maybe the best bet would to light that sucker up like Wrigley building at night. Huge white lights illuminating the structure itself. Make it glow.

[Rizzo]

Kind of OT but I was inspired after having lunch at water tower place looking across the street at topshop and uniqlo. Awhile back there was some rumors of apple scouting out that location. If that turns out to be true, can you image if apple built some all glass store on the top level of that building? Panoramic views of north michigan at 7-8 stories up. Some interesting entrance included that take you up to the top floor. Just an idea I had to spill out. Apple is always doing something new and fresh for their store. A "penthouse" store would be noticeable in all the water tower views and be an attraction

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Maybe they plan to build on top of it. A lot of old industrial buildings in this style were designed to take significant additional loads because, in the past, you couldn't expand outwards if your business grew, so you expanded upwards. There is no way the current building could effectively house an ACE hotel so they must be expanding or building new.

Also, the floor loading from industrial activities is huge, so these buildings can often accommodate extra floors after they are converted to residential, office, or hotel. 565 W. Quincy added 11 floors on top of 7 existing, with almost no added structure.

Ace Hotel's original location in Seattle is a pretty small 2-story building. I'd be shocked if it had 30 rooms. Possibly that same kind of boutique size hotel is planned for Fulton Market. Ace Hotel in London is new construction - it's a pretty boring stucco box. Their business model is to keep things affordable and stylish using stuff that's funky and cheap. Flashy architecture doesn't really play into that, so I wouldn't expect anything exciting if Ace does decide to expand the building in Chicago.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by Hayward

Kind of OT but I was inspired after having lunch at water tower place looking across the street at topshop and uniqlo. Awhile back there was some rumors of apple scouting out that location. If that turns out to be true, can you image if apple built some all glass store on the top level of that building? Panoramic views of north michigan at 7-8 stories up. Some interesting entrance included that take you up to the top floor. Just an idea I had to spill out. Apple is always doing something new and fresh for their store. A "penthouse" store would be noticeable in all the water tower views and be an attraction

For urban stores (unless inside some major historic structure like GCT) they generally want street level presence and are willing to spend almost limitless amounts of money to get it in a form they desire. I would be extremely surprised if they shifted so radically and nothing they've done lately indicates that's coming.

[Via Chicago]

had no idea this had occurred. apparently few others did either

Demolished Burnham Building 'Slipped Through Cracks,' Preservationist Says

[Chicago Shawn]

Wait! That was a Burnham building! That's 2 Burnham Buildings in a month (State Line Generating Station being the other).

I always loved that building and have been taking demo photos of it almost daily.

[Via Chicago]

yup. the burnham connection was unknown to me, but i had always liked it on its own merits. that little tucked away corner of the city looking south always felt like a edward hopper painting to me. quiet and a little desolate, but dignified.

there are the predictable comments on that thread but this one in particular really gets me:

It was a warehouse not the Parthenon.

these buildings ARE chicago's parhenon. we will never have structures like that built again.

[dropdeaded209]

the colored light idea would be cool if you tied the color of the lights and their illumination to the train lines running up and down it. that might look pretty kickass.

[Kenmore]

Originally Posted by dropdeaded209

the colored light idea would be cool if you tied the color of the lights and their illumination to the train lines running up and down it. that might look pretty kickass.

yeah, that would be kind of cool

[harryc]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

had no idea this had occurred. apparently few others did either

Demolished Burnham Building 'Slipped Through Cracks,' Preservationist Says

[joeg1985]

Originally Posted by dropdeaded209

the colored light idea would be cool if you tied the color of the lights and their illumination to the train lines running up and down it. that might look pretty kickass.

Yes! They could take it a step further by coordinating the color of the light with the color of the line that was passing by. At rush hour that would be such a sight to see. Purple, orange, brown, and pink all flying by in each direction. That would really liven things up.

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by joeg1985

Yes! They could take it a step further by coordinating the color of the light with the color of the line that was passing by. At rush hour that would be such a sight to see. Purple, orange, brown, and pink all flying by in each direction. That would really liven things up.

I was thinking this too. It would be a nice synergy of aural and visual info.