One American Place

[southeastBR]

I just wanted to see what kind of ideas/opinions y'all might have about night-time lighting for One American place. I would just love to see some red or another color neon strip-lighting lighting up the building at night. I mean it would be a inexpensive way to bring the building up to par, even put a top or a fake facade on top to cover up the mechanicals' like they did the Chase(old LNB Building) back in 68'.

[richyb83]

^ Agreed .....continued from the Entertainment District thread....

The "vertical" red neon lights is a nice idea! As BR's 2nd Tallest Building at 24-stories, One American Place should not be virtually invisible at night! Seems like the building was 12 years too early(74') back when the International-style was more popular; in 86' AmSouth/25-floors(now Regions Tower) in Shreveport got it right! (More variance? helping the lighting) not as "boxy"; and the addtion to the roof-top..I'll add that pic later...

Maybe I can call Latter & Blum with some of these ideas?? I-E-mailed them about this in the past; but got no response

Here are a few pics of One American Place from the old vault

[cajun]

There are adjustable tube lighting that can change colors by switch or computer....so what is red on a normal light can be changed to purple and gold if LSU wins a game, etc. It could very easily be installed on a building like that.

It's very popular in new developments.

[southeastBR]

I love it Cajun! That's what they need to do! If I had the money I would donate the lighting to it!

[cajun]

I love it Cajun! That's what they need to do! If I had the money I would donate the lighting to it!

Yeah, it's a tad expensive. My wife works at an architecture firm and she was telling me about a lighting package that was proposed for one of their malls and how the "king and queen" towers in Atlanta has something similar on their spires.

Computer controlled tubes that can be hidden in awnings or in building corners that can both accent or illuminate. Expensive, but imagine how cool it would be to have the building change colors every few minutes!

Maybe it's a little tacky, but they can come up with some cool programs that would really compliment the building.

[dan326]

That does sound like a neat idea. I bet it would look cool from 3rd street with all the lights there and then looking in the distance and seeing more neon lights.

[southeastBR]

That would be cool,having changing color lighting! And position at least four strong search lights around the CBD. I know these things cost,but man, just think also how many more people would be attracted to Downtown. Well,maybe one day?

[cajun]

That would be cool,having changing color lighting! And position at least four strong search lights around the CBD. I know these things cost,but man, just think also how many more people would be attracted to Downtown. Well,maybe one day?

I am sure that American Place has paid for itself three times over by now, so I kinda doubt we'd see that kind of investment in the building unless the tenants want it.

To be honest, that type of lighting would look really good on the paperclip pier too.

[SUSAstudent]

Okay yall, this may be a little out the box for One American Place, but I think a facade enhancement and spire at the top of the building would look great with the right lighting... Or maybe even a cover for all the mechanical equipment that lights up at night, something like Frost Bank in Austin or 909 Poydras in New Orleans. . . . (I love 909 Poydras [lmao] and I think Frost Tower would have looked much better in BR).

909 Poydras

http://neworleans.transwestern.net/img/dbimage.asp?369

close up of the box thing I'm talking about

http://www.emporis.com/images/6/2007/01/510333.jpg

pic of 909 Poydras to the left of Superdome

http://appanet.cms-plus.com/files/images/Superdome.jpg

Frost Bank

http://tomeblen.files.wordpress.com/2008/0...bank-austin.jpg

^^talk about a landmark building !!!

[buckett5425]

So I traveled to ATL for the weekend and I fell in love with 1180 Peachtree Tower. I would rather see the same solutions to cover the mechanical equipment at the top. 1180 Peachtree was constructed in 2006 and really plays off the ideas of the International Style, and I think those Ideas would be better equipped as a solution for one American place, rather then place a spire on top that doesn't match, like the Renaissance hotel in Mobile. Simply bring up the existing facade in an interesting way to cover everything up, light it up, and it will preserve the existing architecture and be interesting at the same time.

[SUSAstudent]

So I traveled to ATL for the weekend and I fell in love with 1180 Peachtree Tower. I would rather see the same solutions to cover the mechanical equipment at the top. 1180 Peachtree was constructed in 2006 and really plays off the ideas of the International Style, and I think those Ideas would be better equipped as a solution for one American place, rather then place a spire on top that doesn't match, like the Renaissance hotel in Mobile. Simply bring up the existing facade in an interesting way to cover everything up, light it up, and it will preserve the existing architecture and be interesting at the same time.

Thats a great idea. That would really enhance the BORING elevation of One American Place and give it a young hip look LOL, and I'm sure if lit properly, it could really be something nice. That building is in Buckhead, right?

[dan326]

I don't know, I think it might be to late for One American to anything like that. I think something simple like the neon lights would be better, because at only 300 ft all those adornments might look kind of odd.

[buckett5425]

I don't know, I think it might be to late for One American to anything like that. I think something simple like the neon lights would be better, because at only 300 ft all those adornments might look kind of odd.

Well I'm not saying 1180 Peachtree should be copied, thats the easy answer. But instead look at the strategies that were used, and then re-adapt them and apply them to One American Place. I am personally against the neon lights idea. I feel that that is the 1992 solution for night lighting and isn't up to date. I just really think that it would be wrong for an architect to come and and ruin the International Style of the building with poor lighting strategies or a putting a spire on top. At this point, I would be happy with some ugly spot lights, its better then not seeing the tower at all!

[cajun]

Covering it with a spire would be pretty simple....all spires light up.

[tombarnes]

Neon lights might be simple, but a more thoughtful progressive lighting system might be implemented. Simply use white or yellow lights and modulate the intensity from the ground upawards. Colored lighting might be more of a detriment than an asset.

[richyb83]

Good to see you in the forums Tom this thread is on a roll!!! It must be butter Sorry for being goofy

When I'm in the West Upper deck at Tiger Stadium on Saturday Nights; looking at the skyline One American Place does NOT stand out like it should for being 2nd Tallest...all you really see is the reflection coming off the glass from the surrounding buildings. Some kind of exterior lighting needs to be added.

I can only wish they build a nice "new" landmark tower(See Armchair Thread) in the middle of the CBD between One American Place & Chase Towers...the suggestions here on above post from the other high-rises(Frost Bank Tower/1180 Peachtree/Symphony Center, etc) might work well with this.... but as the Nation's recession deepens this looks less and less likely.

[buckett5425]

Here is a pic of Riverview Plaza in Mobile. A spire was added on top of the "80's" building about a year ago. I couldn't really find a good picture of the tower, but the spire was a failure, at least when you see it in person. It has become the butt of many jokes in Mobile. Sure, the same thing could be done to One American Place, but I would rather see something more innovative.

[SUSAstudent]

Here is a pic of Riverview Plaza in Mobile. A spire was added on top of the "80's" building about a year ago. I couldn't really find a good picture of the tower, but the spire was a failure, at least when you see it in person. It has become the butt of many jokes in Mobile. Sure, the same thing could be done to One American Place, but I would rather see something more innovative.

............... that spire is hideous lol.

[dan326]

[southeastBR]

It does look pathetic! Why didn't they just leave it like it was? Just imagine how ugly something like that would look atop One American! Imagine if they put the same thing on the top of the AmSouth building down there

[MobileLSUboy09]

It does look pathetic! Why didn't they just leave it like it was? Just imagine how ugly something like that would look atop One American! Imagine if they put the same thing on the top of the AmSouth building down there

haha well, as a Mobilian.... the thing is ridiculous, but in their defense, as I'm sure you noticed in the picture, the spire matched the one on top of the building behind it....however it looks great on that building because its brand new and was build at the same time! haha not added 25 years later as an after thought. The whole reason it got one at all was because RSA (retirement systems of alabama) which build the new skyscraper, also bought and renovated the riverview hotel, so to make that publicly known, they stuck a "matching" spire on it... ugh... oh well....at least it DOES get lit up at night haha

[southeastBR]

I mean no harm, I love Mobile, a very historic and beautiful city! I also love going through the tunnel on the way to Gulf Shores(always looked forward to that as a kid). But I do think that crown on top of the hotel was a big mistake,I liked it the way it was.

[MobileLSUboy09]

I mean no harm, I love Mobile, a very historic and beautiful city! I also love going through the tunnel on the way to Gulf Shores(always looked forward to that as a kid). But I do think that crown on top of the hotel was a big mistake,I liked it the way it was.

haha....i agree with you... if they wanted to add something, at least do something original, right? hopefully One American will do something eventually...

[richyb83]

Thats a great idea. That would really enhance the BORING elevation of One American Place and give it a young hip look LOL, and I'm sure if lit properly, it could really be something nice. That building is in Buckhead, right?

1180 PeachTree/Symphony Center is in Mid-Town Atlanta...an extension of downtown.

^I wish an RSL (Retirement Systems of Louisiana) would build an impressive high-rise tower for Baton Rouge; like RSA did for Mobile! But.... I'm still wondering how a 35-story building can be 746'ft tall?? It drew a little controversy(depending on how you judge skyscrapers?) as the Tallest Bldg between Houston & Tampa/Miami; when NOLA's One Shell Square is 51-stories! But no additions/crown/spire; so it's only 697'ft.

Baton Rouge & Mobile have alot of similarities as two cities on the rise in the Gulf South!

[MobileLSUboy09]

1180 PeachTree/Symphony Center is in Mid-Town Atlanta...an extension of downtown.

^I wish an RSL (Retirement Systems of Louisiana) would build an impressive high-rise tower for Baton Rouge; like RSA did for Mobile! But.... I'm still wondering how a 35-story building can be 746'ft tall?? It drew a little controversy(depending on how you judge skyscrapers?) as the Tallest Bldg between Houston & Tampa/Miami; when NOLA's One Shell Square is 51-stories! But no additions/crown/spire; so it's only 697'ft.

Baton Rouge & Mobile have alot of similarities as two cities on the rise in the Gulf South!

haha the RSA tower is 745' since it gets to include the spire because it is an architectural component of the building. I am always comparing the two cities, and they certainly do have a lot in common, and I love both places and have adopted Baton Rouge as my second home, but I will always still love Mobile too. RSA has done wonders for the state of alabama....they have all sorts of investments all over the state, from a high-end hotel chain with marriot, and with world-class golf courses, high-end resorts, to office towers in Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham, and even New York City. Some state system of Louisiana should definitely look into doing something similar!