How would you make the Nascar Tower more interesting?

[dubone]

Carrying on the discussion here: http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=22763 , I wanted to make this a poll so people could give feedback.

Which one of these ideas do people like the best? Note we are just talking about the tower design, which most seem to think is boring and unoriginal. Assuming that at this point, they aren't planning to do any major redesign, could any of this help to make it more interesting?

A - Checkered Glass (Actual glass being that color):

B - Random Color (Actual glass being that color):

C - Striped Color (Actual glass being that color):

D - Checkered Top (Actual blocks being that color):

E - Boriginal (sic):

F - Projecting A, B, C, or D on E with lighting.

[uptownliving]

I like option F.

NASCAR should do color changing LED stripes just like the Wachovia Bank Branch in South Miami Beach at the corner of 5th and Washington...it is very cool looking at night and yet very tasteful at the same time.

[dubone]

That might be a very viable option. I hope they consider it. That way, we can just have the regular building, but then during events, they could flip a switch and the building would go nuts.

[monsoon]

I think they should redesign the building that it has something more to do with Nascar than a generic bland suburban office building like you find at a freeway exit. The Capital Records building in Los Angeles is a very old example of this. When you see that building you know exactly what it is and where it is located. This tower ought to be something they can highlight in their advertizing and when one sees it they immediatly knows it is in Charlotte. This box does not do that even if you put some checkerboards on it.

[dubone]

I added that option so you could participate .

But actually, as much as I doubt it would happen, I think I agree with you on this one. It really is as plain as it gets. It is actually very reminiscent of the Board of Education building a couple blocks down on Stonewall.

[Miesian Corners]

I think maybe PCF thought it should be plain as not to take away from the HOF complex. But as we all here have noted, you can't help notice it, so make it interesting.

[cinco]

i was privy to see a few different renderings of the tower, not too long ago. i gotta say, as much as i originally harped on this thing, i was pleasently suprised. i actually warmed up to the tower after seeing these different angles... there are some subtle architectural features that make the tower interesting, but without taking away from the HOF. still, it isn't anything mind blowing... and i expected a little more from PCF, but, you get what you pay for.... i guess.

BTW, i'm with moonshield on NOT wanting the nascar logo on top of the building.... especially if no other tower has any signage... this would stick out big time. which brings me to a parting question... does the city allow such signage and if so what are the regulations?

[atlrvr]

Yes the city does, and there are maximum heights/widths and surface coverage ratios....what those are, I don't know, but I believe it is why the Grant Thorton sign is so small.

[Ryepow]

Here is an idea. It's a bit of a rough sketch, but you get the idea.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Boriginal.

A disaster isn't something Charlotte needs right now.

[Ryepow]

The metal twisting "race track" curves upward behind the square building with the tv screen through the tower and wraps around from the other side to the front of the museum forming a complete oval track that can be viewed from all angles It also ties the tower into the hall of fame in a interesting way. The building skin is brushed stainless steel and each floor alternates in light blue and dark blue tinted glass forming horizontal racing stripes. I said it was a rough sketch so don't get too upset. I spent all of 10 minutes on it.

I wish they would do something interesting with the tower since it unfortunately will be heavily photographed thanks to the HOF. the building ruins the sweeping curved lines of this project.

[cinco]

^ ryepow, i understood what you were going for... i must admit i have wondered (in the back of mind) - why the tower and HOF were not better integrated with one another... architectually speaking. i think this is what you were going for in your rough sketch.

i am fine with the tower as it is now, but, if there were to be any major changes - i would opt for a complete re-design that in fact WAS integrated with the HOF.

however, sometimes i find we put too much stock into these "public" renderings... the truth is, the PCF designed tower & HOF are probably alot more integrated than i am able to imagine. IMO, the rendering that is being used so much in this thread is the worst one to date... really doesn't make the project look very good.

[dubone]

It is a scan of a folded up handout from the public meeting. I had to airbrush out the folds

By the way, although I'll post these back on the main thread for the tower, the 3d models of the tower already have basically what Ryepow is suggesting with the band, except that due to the costs, it would not be as high as shown above.

[voyager12]

The whole project just seems so Disneyish and tacky to me. It's just my personal opinion of course. Hopefully the museums will balance out the theme park and party vibe from this and Epicentre.

[dubone]

, voyager, you may have missed this, but it is Nascar! Of course it's Disneyish and tacky .

The more I see those 3d models, the more I REALLY hope they do a green roof. A pebble roof is going to look completely awful.

[AuLukey]

BTW, i'm with moonshield on NOT wanting the nascar logo on top of the building.... especially if no other tower has any signage... this would stick out big time. which brings me to a parting question... does the city allow such signage and if so what are the regulations?

[uptownliving]

Just for reference sake this office tower will be close in height to the Westin Hotel.

[Charlotteman]

I must agree that the tower as seen in the drawings is ultra boring....and yes it is too similar to cookie cutter office buildings that sit near highway exit ramps.

If the tower is built as seen in the pics, then I would put it in the same league as First Citizens Tower, 1 Independence Center, Duke Power, etc...........certainly nothing to be proud of. Certainly nothing that will inspire anyone!

The HOF museum deserves sooooooooooo much more than to sit beside this tacky and silly tower.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

It looks like any government building in Brasilia, BraSil.

example:

http://www.caminandosinrumbo.com/brasil/brasilia/index.htm

[A2]

It looks like any government building in Brasilia, BraSil.

example:

http://www.caminandosinrumbo.com/brasil/brasilia/index.htm

[Charlotteman]

Yes I think the NASCAR tower is tacky. I also think the UN Tower in New York is tacky. And the federal buildings in Brasilia........

Glass boxes (International Style) were popular when the UN was built, along with the governmental towers in Brasilia. That was over 30 years ago. Today, one would hope that architecture would have moved forward from those lean design years.

Do we really want to see a retro 1960s-70s architectural era? Are there people that are inspired by seeing an enormous glass shoebox lying on it's end? Or even worse with the NASCAR Tower---- it isn't even classy enough to be all covered with glass. Did the architect who designed Duke Power's 1985 tower also design NASCAR Tower? They look like family members to my retro weary eyes:)

[Miesian Corners]

Do we really want to see a retro 1960s-70s architectural era? Are there people that are inspired by seeing an enormous glass shoebox lying on it's end? Or even worse with the NASCAR Tower---- it isn't even classy enough to be all covered with glass. Did the architect who designed Duke Power's 1985 tower also design NASCAR Tower? They look like family members to my retro weary eyes:)

[Charlotteman]

Perhaps I didn't word my last post well.

When the UN tower was constructed in New York it was NEW and immensely popular. For it's time, which was in the proto-International Style era, it was cutting edge. A highrise that's style was stripped to a minimalist core....

Same with BofA Plaza Uptown. Definitely International Style--essentially an enormous glass box. When it was constructed in 1974, the city of Charlotte was ecstatic! Man was that one popular building!

But that was 1974. Do we really want to return to International Style? I thought the Post Modern movement which brought Charlotte the Interstate Tower, Carillon Tower and BofA Corp had washed away the last vestiges of dull glass box architecture.

But lately we have WB, BofA 32 story tower, and NASCAR Tower that appear very retro 60s-70s to me. Do we really have to return to such a dull architectural era? Retro can be cool, but not in this instance.

[Charlotteman]

Hell, fly up here and have dinner even if I end up hating it! lol

Maybe I expect too much(?) I'm disappointed in Seattle's much lauded WaMu Tower for the same reasons mentioned in my last post. When a high rise is covered in glass with few architectural flourishes, and has a flat roof I can't help but be underwhelmed, whether it is LEED Platinum or just stick built ......

Of course the NASCAR Tower isn't going to be LEED certified, so lumping it together with the new WB, and BofA 32 story tower isn't fair. I guess I'm just a little alarmed at what I see as a recent flirtation with International Style. International Style was fine for back then. But that was then, and this is now. Hopefully we expect a lot more for our cities than throwing up more glass boxes and buildings that look like exit-ramp low rises.

On another site is listed a multitude of new towers proposed in Miami, with nice drawings of each. Most of them are 30-45 floors or so. To me they all look International Style..... like they could have been built 1975-1980. I thought we tired of that look a long time ago(?)

The NASCAR Tower as seen in the drawings isn't even as good as most exit-ramp buildings~~

BUT I will try to stay positive and hope for the best:)

[uptownliving]

For those that don't like the design of the NASCAR office tower, what would you change about it to make you happy with the design? The plot of land this thing is going on is pretty slim so that limits most of your options.