This is one seriously unresolved design. Poorly planned side and rear elevations and podium, and a weak composition in terms of overall form. There is little to recommend this building and yet it is having such a major visual impact in this part of the city.
I think it's actually exceptional. We are not New York, London or Singapore so never going to be enough money to build apartments buildings like they do there. But for Australia......this has turned out to be one of the best.
What makes it exceptional for you, Michael? I would reserve a judgement like that for Ricardo Bofill's "Walden 7" (1970) or perhaps Herzog and De Meuron's 40 Bond Street in New York. Abode just seems immature and, as I said, poorly resolved as a design, to me, with none of the intelligence and design innovation of the buildings just mentioned. Also, I'm not convinced about the difference in wealth between New York and Melbourne being the key factor in good design outcomes in each city. We have a wealthy population here - also, in price per m2, are you certain that there is much difference between Manhattan and Melbourne apartment prices right now?
It's exceptional to me because I've never seen an apartment building like this in THIS country......it's a first for Australia. And it looks really REALLY good.
Personally I would say I find this design from some angles to be quite ground breaking and inspiring in a sculptural sense. From other angles it's fine but certainly not bad. Just another simple subjective opinion of course.
I do think rather than just complain and be negative it's important to offer ideas of improvement and be constructive. It certainly makes for more interesting and rewarding reading. For example, I would have used x or y materials, colours or styles and I would have designed the heights with this set back or this shape. It's really very very easy to be critical which reminds me of a favourite quote...
It's certainly not one of my favourite skyscrapers by any means but I do applaud the architects for trying something different and not giving us the usual CE or Brady bland boxes.
That first photo isn't a good sign at all.
Looks exactly like the renders. Such a large, inactive podium would not be approved on that site if it was proposed today.
I'd never spotted a good quality image of the podium. Can't say i'm surprised, though I was crossing my fingers.
Looks fine to me
It looks beautiful
This is one seriously unresolved design. Poorly planned side and rear elevations and podium, and a weak composition in terms of overall form. There is little to recommend this building and yet it is having such a major visual impact in this part of the city.
I think it's actually exceptional. We are not New York, London or Singapore so never going to be enough money to build apartments buildings like they do there. But for Australia......this has turned out to be one of the best.
What makes it exceptional for you, Michael? I would reserve a judgement like that for Ricardo Bofill's "Walden 7" (1970) or perhaps Herzog and De Meuron's 40 Bond Street in New York. Abode just seems immature and, as I said, poorly resolved as a design, to me, with none of the intelligence and design innovation of the buildings just mentioned. Also, I'm not convinced about the difference in wealth between New York and Melbourne being the key factor in good design outcomes in each city. We have a wealthy population here - also, in price per m2, are you certain that there is much difference between Manhattan and Melbourne apartment prices right now?
It's exceptional to me because I've never seen an apartment building like this in THIS country......it's a first for Australia. And it looks really REALLY good.
Apartment prices in New York are generally twice as high as Melbourne and four times more expensive at the high end.
Personally I would say I find this design from some angles to be quite ground breaking and inspiring in a sculptural sense. From other angles it's fine but certainly not bad. Just another simple subjective opinion of course.
I do think rather than just complain and be negative it's important to offer ideas of improvement and be constructive. It certainly makes for more interesting and rewarding reading. For example, I would have used x or y materials, colours or styles and I would have designed the heights with this set back or this shape. It's really very very easy to be critical which reminds me of a favourite quote...
Critiquing is easy: Art is difficult
one in the line
It's certainly not one of my favourite skyscrapers by any means but I do applaud the architects for trying something different and not giving us the usual CE or Brady bland boxes.
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