Architectural Statement Pieces.

[Paramount747]

I have been thinking about which pieces I am really looking forward too seeing completed. We literally have so much being constructed, many of which are standard utilitarian boxes, that I have to narrow my enthusiasm down to a couple of pieces or it will be to overwhelming for me. I always wanted Nashville to get to this point, and now since it is here, it is almost exhausting.

 

So the pieces I am watching are:

 

1) The Sobro because of its curvilinear design and height at 345 feet is about the same as the Regions Tower (346 on the low Commerce side and 359 on the high side)  and the UBS Tower at 354.

 

2) The Bridgestone Tower because of it's massing, 460' height, and decorative fins on top.

 

3) 505 CST for it's 747' height, architecture, massing, street presence, and being a statement piece.

 

The next 3 are not skyscrapers, but significant projects.

 

4) The Amphitheater because of its design, orientation, height for the area, and significance.

 

5) The Sounds Ballpark because of its community impact on bridging North and South Nashville.

 

6) Although it has not started, the Sticks Sculpture which will be a 70 towering sculpture in the middle of a street! How cool is that?

 

The last is a hopeful piece, but as of right now, I do not have much hope. Again, it is a hotel which tends to be utilitarian and not really worthy of architectural significance although we can only hope. In my last trip to ATL, the hotels and residential towers all looked pretty much the same except for the 47 story Mandarin and the 65 story tower I cannot remember the name of.

 

7) The Westin if it is over 300 feet and actually has enough height to make it slender and sleek, whereas the Omni at 270-280 looks a bit fat which takes away any elegance the building could have.

 

Feel free to share your own.

 

John

[smeagolsfree]

Wow John, I think your mind is opening up the older you get. Not all skyscrapers on the list is a big stride for you buddy.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Honestly, I'm not all that crazy about that "Straws" thingie. I'd rather see a nice fancy fountain there. Also, I'd like to see how that project goes (on 2nd) that will attempt to match the style of the neighbors on either side (I'm forgetting the name): https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=36.161101,-86.772798&spn=0.000017,0.010568&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=36.161101,-86.774669&panoid=0nlvJkALjDHpVRs3vB53Qw&cbp=12,39.1,,0,2.1

 

Ah, here, I found it: http://www.120secondavenuesouth.com/

We need more smaller-scale projects like these to fill in many gaps left open in the central core.

[MidTenn1]

A subject close to my frustrated architect's heart. 

 

I am not a big fan of the cookie cutter architecture of all the glass boxes being built and much prefer facades with durable materials being used, hence my favorite is the Aertson in mid-town...

 

I love the detail and retro look. It was done well.

 

 

The Crescent Music Row looks good in the night time rendering, so I'm hoping it look as good when you walk up the street from the Gulch. That is one of my tests for good architecture; when you are walking, turn the corner and spot a well designed and constructed building and say, "That's nice".

 

 

The ACE Hotel on 4th retro-fit may be exciting. Waiting to see if they can complement the two buildings they say they intend to save.

 

 

 

 

 

[Paramount747]

Wow John, I think your mind is opening up the older you get. Not all skyscrapers on the list is a big stride for you buddy.

Still dig the 'scrapers, but some of the infill is nice.

Honestly, I'm not all that crazy about that "Straws" thingie. I'd rather see a nice fancy fountain there. Also, I'd like to see how that project goes (on 2nd) that will attempt to match the style of the neighbors on either side (I'm forgetting the name): https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=36.161101,-86.772798&spn=0.000017,0.010568&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=36.161101,-86.774669&panoid=0nlvJkALjDHpVRs3vB53Qw&cbp=12,39.1,,0,2.1

 

Ah, here, I found it: http://www.120secondavenuesouth.com/

We need more smaller-scale projects like these to fill in many gaps left open in the central core.

I was told by one of our members, this is probably not happening any time soon.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I was told by one of our members, this is probably not happening any time soon.

 

Oh, no.

[Paramount747]

Spoke to WW and he told me the developer told him the Westin will be 321 feet, so I can add this officially to my list. It will be 50 feet taller than the Omni which will make a big difference. Still utilitarian, but a difference.

[CenterHill]

A subject close to my frustrated architect's heart. 

 

I am not a big fan of the cookie cutter architecture of all the glass boxes being built and much prefer facades with durable materials being used, hence my favorite is the Aertson in mid-town...

 

I love the detail and retro look. It was done well.

 

I couldn't agree more. Let's hope all the crown detail and moldings don't get cut in the final budget. They will really make these buildings stand out.

[Neigeville2]

A subject close to my frustrated architect's heart. 

 

I am not a big fan of the cookie cutter architecture of all the glass boxes being built and much prefer facades with durable materials being used, hence my favorite is the Aertson in mid-town...

 

I love the detail and retro look. It was done well.

 

I couldn't agree more. Let's hope all the crown detail and moldings don't get cut in the final budget. They will really make these buildings stand out.

 

I'm really excited about the bay windows on the residential portion too. 

[Nathan_in_DC]

 

6) Although it has not started, the Sticks Sculpture which will be a 70 towering sculpture in the middle of a street! How cool is that?

 

I agree with everything you posted except for that. I just can't get behind it considering the options for something more monumental in the space, like a large fountain or something.  Renderings of Sticks, to me, just looks like someone painted a bunch of telephone poles and shoved them into the ground haphazardly.

[Neigeville2]

I agree with everything you posted except for that. I just can't get behind it considering the options for something more monumental in the space, like a large fountain or something.  Renderings of Sticks, to me, just looks like someone painted a bunch of telephone poles and shoved them into the ground haphazardly.

 

A fountain would have been great but was ruled out because there is no water at the site and they didn't want the added expense.  I agree Stix looks kind of plain, but I think it's going to be one of those things where the scale makes it impressive, especially as the circle begins to seem more closed in with that hotel going in.  Should look kind of trippy at night too with the lighting.

[Nathan_in_DC]

A fountain would have been great but was ruled out because there is no water at the site and they didn't want the added expense.  I agree Stix looks kind of plain, but I think it's going to be one of those things where the scale makes it impressive, especially as the circle begins to seem more closed in with that hotel going in.  Should look kind of trippy at night too with the lighting.

 

I don't necessarily dislike it because of its plain-ness, but rather I just think it is a silly design that reeks of design-by-committee public art. It lacks in imagination and aesthetics, in my opinion.

 

Of course, I'd also have preferred something like a grand classical sculpture or statue of a city founder or other historical person.  Perhaps Charlotte Robertson unleashing a bunch of dogs or something. 

[rookzie]

A fountain would have been great but was ruled out because there is no water at the site and they didn't want the added expense.  I agree Stix looks kind of plain, but I think it's going to be one of those things where the scale makes it impressive, especially as the circle begins to seem more closed in with that hotel going in.  Should look kind of trippy at night too with the lighting.

 

Agree, a fountain would have been great.  Fountain construction of any scale requires perennial maintenance, whether or not fountains are shut down in the cold season.  Overhead for the newer fountains are increasingly funded and located on private properties (like the one in the catch basin [retention pond] located at the SE corner of Lipscomb Univ., which aerates the water to reduce algae-bloom formation).  The expense of commissioning statue carving is nothing to sneeze at, so I would not expect a roundabout to just up and get a waiting list of those larger-than-life behemoths, especially since I envision that roundabouts will become more numerous in Nashv'l over time.

 

But there is at least one obscure statue floating around town, that IMO could use a new home.  While many would believe that classicism generally should not be mixed with contemporary (and I would concur), there are artistic ways and examples of such undertakings without necessarily clashing with contiguous properties (that is, being tacky).  The Battle of Nashville statue needs a new home, IMO as referred to sometime ago, although I am not advocating that this particular statue be transferred to the KVB roundabout.  Scale is important for an object to appropriately fill a traffic circle or a true roundabout and for it to become a proportional focal point.  While Stix is not really even my own cup of tea, it is nevertheless variably scalable for that particular traffic element, more readily than an existing statue could be made to be, even if the statue could be built on a special stone platform.

-==-

[MLBrumby]

But there is at least one obscure statue floating around town, that IMO could use a new home.  While many would believe that classicism generally should not be mixed with contemporary (and I would concur), there are artistic ways and examples of such undertakings without necessarily clashing with contiguous properties (that is, being tacky).  The Battle of Nashville statue needs a new home, IMO as referred to sometime ago, although I am not advocating that this particular statue be transferred to the KVB roundabout.  Scale is important for an object to appropriately fill a traffic circle or a true roundabout and for it to become a proportional focal point.  While Stix is not really even my own cup of tea, it is nevertheless variably scalable for that particular traffic element, more readily than an existing statue could be made to be, even if the statue could be built on a special stone platform.

-==-

 

Totally agree... it's tucked away in some obscure lot under I-440!!!!    What's up with that?   

 

I just don't get it! 

[donNdonelson2]

The Battle of Nashville Monument is located in a small park that is on Granny White Pike, south of 440, but it is NOT underneath the highway.

 

https://plus.google.com/100171652412608011649/about?gl=us&hl=en

[MLBrumby]

Thanks for the map link... but the point was that the statue is "under" as in below street level with I440... and IIRC it cannot even be seen from I440 with a wall. 

 

To Rookzie's point, that statue should be in a more prominent place such as a roundabout with much more traffic.  And yes... I realize that the location on GWP is approximately where a portion of the battle was fought.  I understand the statue was removed from its original site when I440 was built and TDOT couldn't find a place for it until the lot was donated. 

 

http://www.bonps.org/battle-of-nashville-monument/

 

"The Tennessee Historical Commission, which owns the statue, chose the new home for it in 1992. State and federal money, as well as generous private contributions, made possible the restoration.The monument was originally created in 1927 by Giuseppe Moretti, who was commissioned by the Ladies Battlefield Association. In 1974, the obelisk and angel were destroyed by a tornado, and during the 1980s construction of a large interstate highway interchange obstructed the monument to public viewing."

[Nashville Cliff]

I actually like the current location. The park is small and peaceful. Perfect for reflection on the sacrifices of the battle. 

[rookzie]

Then, let's get 'em to erect a larger-than-life bronze and granite full-body statue of Tammy Wynette and James Brown, side by side.  I can almost then guarantee that it'll turns some heads, and turn some cars (and buses) around that roundabout.

-==-

[Vrtigo]

Then, let's get 'em to erect a larger-than-life bronze and granite full-body statue of Tammy Wynette and James Brown, side by side.  I can almost then guarantee that it'll turns some heads, and turn some cars (and buses) around that roundabout.

-==-

 

Based on Nashville-roundabout-statue precedent, they would have to be naked. Not sure that's something I'd want to see.

 

[Paramount747]

I think the appropriate statue would be of my friend Dave Luna (passed aways 3 years ago this month) who helped me get this group started, and of Ron who keeps it going!

[smeagolsfree]

There's no me now. You guys are keeping it going now. I just sit back and attemp to watch it all happening.

[japan]

Is Stix still held up because of legal issues surrounding the roundabout?  Or is it moving forward?

[rookzie]

I think the appropriate statue would be of my friend Dave Luna (passed aways 3 years ago this month) who helped me get this group started, and of Ron who keeps it going!

 

I am very unfortunate to not have had the opportunity to have met Dave Luna, and posthumously, all my hats are off in his honor.  The same goes for Ron in this respect and he has demonstrated spirited dedication to the regional U-P forums, in a way I safely can assume is tantamount to that of "Mr. Dave".

 

 

Based on Nashville-roundabout-statue precedent, they would have to be naked. Not sure that's something I'd want to see.

 

 

No dissin' Ron, but, as Vrtigo pointed out above, with the Nashv'l roundabout precedent set at 16th Ave, I'm not sure that I (or even the traffic) could avoid turning away from that particular statue either.

 

(luv you, Ron!)

 

-==-

[smeagolsfree]

They would not want to see a naked statue of me either. That would be obscenity.

[titanhog]

My favorite potential architectural statement pieces would be Paramount (height)...SoBro (because of the nice curves)...JWM (because of the overall sleek design and the way the hotel and office play off of one another)...Old convention center site (because of the new design which will bring an "outdoor plaza" feel to downtown)...Aertson (it just looks urban, to me)...and I actually like the Sticks art and can't wait to see it erected.