Designed for Richmond

[TBurban]

I keep saying we need an aquarium, so I've been messing around with my design for one for the past few days..

edit: I decided to change some things around, I'll post the new rendering soon.

[burt]

I keep saying we need an aquarium, so I've been messing around with my design for one for the past few days..

edit: I decided to change some things around, I'll post the new rendering soon.

Tommy, be sure to describe location when you post your aquarium proposal.

How about the Reynolds property that's up for sale between Toads Place and Riverfront Towers?

[Icetera]

I keep saying we need an aquarium, so I've been messing around with my design for one for the past few days..

edit: I decided to change some things around, I'll post the new rendering soon.

What I saw earlier looked quite impressive. I would be onto some details of what is what when you return the images.

I really need to get back to my designs, but have gotten frustrated with the lag within sketchup once you reach a certain point. I wish I had AutoCAD.

[TBurban]

What I saw earlier looked quite impressive. I would be onto some details of what is what when you return the images.

I really need to get back to my designs, but have gotten frustrated with the lag within sketchup once you reach a certain point. I wish I had AutoCAD.

You get that, too!?! Man I hate it! The lag makes me want to throw in the towel..I thought it was my computer being slow. When you're finished with designing, go to 'View' on the task-bar, then down to 'Edge Style' on the drop-down menu and un-check 'Display Edges.' It makes it a little less laggy for when you take screen shots. I'd be really curious to see how your tower looks in that mode.

[Icetera]

You get that, too!?! Man I hate it! The lag makes me want to throw in the towel..I thought it was my computer being slow. When you're finished with designing, go to 'View' on the task-bar, then down to 'Edge Style' on the drop-down menu and un-check 'Display Edges.' It makes it a little less laggy for when you take screen shots. I'd be really curious to see how your tower looks in that mode.

I will have to check that out. I had been changing the settings from color to grey scale in order to rotate/scroll the screen. Computer hardware has nothing to do with it as it performs the same on both my new PC (great Video Card and 8GB of RAM) and this 1GB POS work laptop. I went to copy the tower to place into another session and it literally took 30 minutes for the program to copy all of the lines, nevermind to paste it. If the office calms down a bit, I may have to try playing with it, again.

[TBurban]

A complete redesign and a few days later and here's the new concept for an aquarium:

front/entrance:

rear:

left:

right:

overview:

aerial:

Still not sure on a location..ideally I'd want it on the Lehigh property but I like Burt's suggestion of a spot on the Reynolds Property along the Canal Walk.

[HopHead]

Interesting designs TBurban. The overview picture makes me think of the Mead Westvaco (sp?) HQ. Definitely has a "Richmond" feel to it. The tallest exposed area could definitely have some cool signature logo on it. I've only driven by it, but I like the exterior look of the Georgia Aquarium down in Atlanta...

[burt]

Nice work, Tommy!!!

[TBurban]

Thanks, guys! The Georgia Aquarium is sweet..that opened not too long ago, right? I took your advice and came up with a logo to put on the "cruise ship" like tower on the aquarium roof and ended up changing a couple things around too. Here's the latest:

[TBurban]

E.Canal/S.8th/S.9th/E.Cary Street proposal v.3

a statue would look really cool on one of the two main plazas

[Downtowner]

Tommy my friend if me and you both had the money to build something like that now I would say lets do it and get that lot utilized. I am so tired of seeing it sit like that. Really wish we would have a few new towers proposed. It has been so dead lately with development in the downtown area. I think the tallest thing I have seen rise in my lifetime is Vistas on the James which is sad. I would of loved to of lived around to see the James Monroe Tower and the Federal Reserve rise. I just hope once things get better again we see a ton of new towers being built.

[burt]

That's a beauty, Tommy. And you've done a lot of site work as well plus views of the structure from every angle. Eventhough VCU doesn't have a School of Architecture, I hope some of your instructors have seen this.

Congratulations.

[jbjust]

Bravo!!! It makes me sad to see, though, since I have to look at that lot every day. I moved to Richmond in 2004 and have been spoiled by all the new construction in the past 5 years. I fear that it will take another 10 years to see the same amount of construction.

[TBurban]

Thanks, guys! Just messing around with a modern/art deco look. I still think our skyline would look great with a spire that resembles something like the New York Life Building in Manhattan. I still can't believe the CNB is still empty, it's becoming one of my favorites here.

And yeah, it's a shame the restrictions they have for some of these lots, most of which keep them vacant. Some of the zoning laws are ridiculous.

[burt]

Skyscraper fans, check out Picture #18 in the latest update on The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. You'll find it in the MUSEUM DEVElOPMENT IN RICHMOND thread under today's date (1/2/10.)

I have no idea whose art it is, but would something similar work as Richmond's signature tower?

[Brent]

Burt, it is a Sol Lewitt. He did the boxes that are painted on the walls of the contemporary galleries entrance at VMFA. He had a similar one made out of CMUs (cinder blocks) on the campus of the Ohio State University ( I became familiar with him when in grad school there studying sculpture). I've always been a fan of his work. It is really simple (basic math) but I think that they are elegant pieces...

http://www.bing.com/search?q=sol+lewitt&FORM=SSRE Here are some more examples of his work...

[burt]

Burt, it is a Sol Lewitt. He did the boxes that are painted on the walls of the contemporary galleries entrance at VMFA. He had a similar one made out of CMUs (cinder blocks) on the campus of the Ohio State University ( I became familiar with him when in grad school there studying sculpture). I've always been a fan of his work. It is really simple (basic math) but I think that they are elegant pieces...

http://www.bing.com/...ewitt&FORM=SSRE Here are some more examples of his work...

Brent, LeWitt's style is simple and clean, yet majestic in his Reagan National Airport design. Thanks for sharing.

[Cadeho]

I thought I had posted here.

[burt]

I thought I had posted here.

Cam, your posting of LeWitt's art is under Museums.

TBurban's design, dated September 28th, for a signature building in Richmond is by far the best. I just brought up the subject to draw skyscraper fans and others to the seldom read Museum thread.

[Cadeho]

Haha.. it worked!

[540_804]

Here's a small urban residential lowrise I made.

Residential above, retail below.

It would be located here:

Corner of 18th and Main

Other possible locations include one of the surface lots on East Broad Street near the McDonalds.

Here's a few shots of a potential bedroom I created (not sure if it would work with this building though):

By the way, I really like that proposal that Tburban came up with about halfway up this page. You did really well with such an awkward lot to work with. Unfortunately I don't think anything that grand will be built in Richmond any time soon.

[burt]

540-804 (aren't those numbers area codes? ), your apartment building design is quite appropriate for Shockoe Bottom, IMO. The site you have selected is adjacent to the former Flood Zone (now Have a Nice Day Cafe.)

If the proposed National Slavery Museum on the west side of Main Street Station gets any traction perhaps a hotel similar to your residential design could be part of the Museum's campus.

Here's the Slavery Museum proposal:

http://www.richmondmagazine.com/?articleID=2d0670146718c182b088d87624325d4d

Thanks for sharing.

[TBurban]

That's an awesome rendering with a serious program you've got there! I like the curved roof, it picks up on the architecture of The Reserve Condominiums down the street near The Market. Feel free to share more, I love this kind of stuff.

And yeah, most of my proposals are just pipe dreams

[540_804]

540-804 (aren't those numbers area codes? ), your apartment building design is quite appropriate for Shockoe Bottom, IMO. The site you have selected is adjacent to the former Flood Zone (now Have a Nice Day Cafe.)

If the proposed National Slavery Museum on the west side of Main Street Station gets any traction perhaps a hotel similar to your residential design could be part of the Museum's campus.

Here's the Slavery Museum proposal:

http://www.richmondmagazine.com/?articleID=2d0670146718c182b088d87624325d4d

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the comments. And yes 540 and 804 are areas codes: I'm from Roanoke but now in Richmond. But you can call me Jay, because its a lot easier to type.

And yeah, most of my proposals are just pipe dreams

We can only dream right? lol. It would look great in Richmond, and would have such a prominent spot in the skyline.

Lets see, Innsbrook has 5+ million sq ft of office space, so maybe if we can convince all of those businesses to relocated downtown then maybe they'll create demand for some of our dreams.

[Cadeho]

I'm really impressed. Please design more for Shockoe Bottom... they need ideas.