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Chandeliers Art Project

dmccall

By dmccall
in The NC Triangle

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dmccall Burg

dmccall

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Have any of you seen any photos online of the model they demonstrated last week? I saw a quick flash on the news and really like them. Apparently they have nixed the glass acorn thing and gone to a colorful flame looking thing. The article reports that the bases will be stacked squares meant to mimmick the Greek theme on the Capitol's and Memorial Auditorium's columns. YEAHH!!! This was my only wish for these things.

Here's the link to the City's news release.

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dmccall Burg

dmccall

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I love them, personally. I saw that the City Council is supposed to vote ?tomorrow? on changing the name of the street to "Fayetteville St" from "Fayetteville St. Mall". Yeah yeah, history and all of that, but wouldn't it be neat to rename it to "North Carolina Avenue"? Let it be Main St. to the whole state.

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orulz City

orulz

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My only negative comment is that, on that rendering, it looks like there might not be enough of them, particularly with the trees casting shadows. This area needs to be lit very brightly at night. I also hope they don't use sodium (orange) lighting. It saves a bit of power over mercury vapor lamps, but it's much less friendly.

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urbanesq Hamlet

urbanesq

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^^it's tough to see in that rendering, but I was at the meeting last week, and I have to admit they look really really cool. I was non-enthused by the acron idea, but I think these will by really stunning: making a modern and artistic statement while also being beautiful and elegant. And, funded completely by private dollars.

there will be four of them at each major intersection on the Street, for a total of sixteen.

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avery Hamlet

avery

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^^it's tough to see in that rendering, but I was at the meeting last week, and I have to admit they look really really cool. I was non-enthused by the acron idea, but I think these will by really stunning: making a modern and artistic statement while also being beautiful and elegant. And, funded completely by private dollars.

there will be four of them at each major intersection on the Street, for a total of sixteen.

I think 4 bunched together at the intersections will look nice. How are they doing the traffic signals? Will they be on posts, arms or wires?

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avery Hamlet

avery

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Black cantilevered arms for the side streets (Hargett, Martin, etc.), and black vertical signal poles for Fayetteville St. They are already up at the Davie St intersection. I was down there today.

Nice, will have to go check it out.

Do you know if they are incorporating any interesting stonework for the sidewalk areas?

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urbanesq Hamlet

urbanesq

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For some reason they remind me of the Light + Time tower on Capital. Maybe these will prove to be a bit more popular.

:sick:

Not at all! no no no. No.

These are elegant and uplifting, not industrial and depressing. The Time + Light tower looks like a short, squat cell tower. The colors are lovely, sure, but the overall effect is lost on me (not that I'm so totally sophisticated or anything, but I'm no bumpkin either...). These are well-proportioned and essentially a modern adaptation of classical columns, with a new twist that make them work.

I think these will be a signature addition to downtown, whereas the Time + Light tower was just a waste of public money.

Nice, will have to go check it out.

Do you know if they are incorporating any interesting stonework for the sidewalk areas?

I'm not sure, although the granite curbing is distinctive and looks really nice already.

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Jones_ City

Jones_

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Yeah yeah, history and all of that, but wouldn't it be neat to rename it to "North Carolina Avenue"? Let it be Main St. to the whole state.

Again no no and no. I will bring 1000 people to the council hearing that tries to do this. :angry::D

Your history is who you are, that is part of the deal. It smacks of politicians rewriting history books when you rename an original city street in order to improve the marketability....it also sounds too self ingratiating.

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waynehead Unincorporated Area

waynehead

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Hmm, well they're certainly interesting, and I like the use of color a lot, but the triangles and the sharp angles and everything look a little forbidding. But I'm not sure if you know what something like this is going to look like until it's actually built.

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urbanesq Hamlet

urbanesq

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Hmm, well they're certainly interesting, and I like the use of color a lot, but the triangles and the sharp angles and everything look a little forbidding. But I'm not sure if you know what something like this is going to look like until it's actually built.

I can see that; but in person, the mock-up looked less forbidding and more uplifting, like an upward and energetic explosion. Very symbolic of downtown's resurgence, I think.

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dmccall Burg

dmccall

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One of the things they depict is triangular pieces of glass. Get it? Triangle?

I completely appreciate your point about history, but honestly, I couldn't care less if my great great great great grandfather was a slave or a slave owner. I am what I have made of myself and been shaped by since 1969. I appreciate history for the lessons it teaches us, but not for it being a definition of who we are. But that's me. I'm a math guy. I CERTAINLY wouldn't want to fight over the renaming issue.

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Jones_ City

Jones_

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One of the things they depict is triangular pieces of glass. Get it? Triangle?

I completely appreciate your point about history, but honestly, I couldn't care less if my great great great great grandfather was a slave or a slave owner. I am what I have made of myself and been shaped by since 1969. I appreciate history for the lessons it teaches us, but not for it being a definition of who we are. But that's me. I'm a math guy. I CERTAINLY wouldn't want to fight over the renaming issue.

Oh by the way I love the lights too.

Dana...I am certainly not trying to start a ruckus either and what my "grandiddy" did is of no concern to me, none of my family is even from North Carolina. There is an intrinsic value to historical names, places and things that is cast aside too quickly IMO by too many people too often. New gloss, new sheen and chic, new buildings and street names do not make a city I want to live in when that is all a city has to offer. Since nobody outside of North Carolina seems to know who Sir Walter Raleigh was, I can envision some people even pushing to rename the city to New Atlanta or something else ridiculous. Would you go for that? The premise is the same. How about demolishing Briggs Hardware if someone proposed a 100 story skyscraper? It scares me to think some people would be happy with that. For the record I am a 'math' guy too (since 1974) with more time spent in Harrelson and Mann Halls than I care to remember. I enjoy your insight throughout the forums btw and appreciate your enthusiam for this city...I just have to stick to my guns on this one ;)

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Raleighsfinest Whistle-Stop

Raleighsfinest

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Me personally I could care less about some historic aspects of town, but I believe some structures should be preserved, because of historic significance. If someone wanted to tear down the briggs building to build a 100 story building which represents our generation, then so be it. I think we spend too much time overrating the past. We have our own legacy to leave for the future generations, which should involve more than just a bunch of historic building remodels.

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avery Hamlet

avery

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Me personally I could care less about some historic aspects of town, but I believe some structures should be preserved, because of historic significance. If someone wanted to tear down the briggs building to build a 100 story building which represents our generation, then so be it. I think we spend too much time overrating the past. We have our own legacy to leave for the future generations, which should involve more than just a bunch of historic building remodels.

I have to disagree with you there. I think holding onto the past is not always a bad thing. Historical preservation adds character to a city. I think the Blount Street Redevleopment is an excellent example of this. They are preserving the historic homes and are tying into it's design the architectural feel of the surrounding Oakwood neighborhood. This adds to what Raleigh was, is and will be.

Plus, there are numerous surface lots and buildings of much less historical significance that can house a 100 story building if needed. Ignoring the legacy of the persons who made Raleigh what it is today is disgraceful. Raleigh would not be where it is today if it weren't for some of these individuals and the developments that they made. The Briggs Hardware building was Raleigh's first "high-rise" and should always remain intact. We can leave our legacy through a new sense of urban development. Projects like Dorthea Dix, Fayetteville Street, Glenwood South and downtown in general are just some of those opportunities.

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urbanesq Hamlet

urbanesq

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Me personally I could care less about some historic aspects of town, but I believe some structures should be preserved, because of historic significance. If someone wanted to tear down the briggs building to build a 100 story building which represents our generation, then so be it. I think we spend too much time overrating the past. We have our own legacy to leave for the future generations, which should involve more than just a bunch of historic building remodels.

I respect your opinion, but whole-heartedly disagree.

Great cities-- the really beautiful places that people like to be-- honor their past and infuse the present in a way that may be striking or stunning, but is also sensitive. In my experience, the places where the past has been erradicated are usually sterile and homogenous.

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DwnTwnRaleighGuy Hamlet

DwnTwnRaleighGuy

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Back to the chandeliers, they look ok, and I know that most everyone hear is probably more into modern structures but I would prefer to see more tradional artwork in downtown. I think that it is a sign of a larger citie that they have "arrived" when they have ornate, (read European), statues and fountains. Don't get me wrong we do need to make Raleigh a bit different, to let others know "who we are" if you will. I just think that Raleigh already has a theme going and it is the City of Oaks. Also isn't Larry Wheeler behind these chandeliers? I ask this because everything he wants to build out at the NC Museum of Art is modern. :D

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