Washington Square - 20, 100, 111 Washington Avenue S

Downtown - North Loop - Mill District - Elliot Park - Loring Park
sushisimo
Landmark Center
Posts: 226
Joined: June 2nd, 2012, 3:47 pm

Washington Square - 20, 100, 111 Washington Avenue S

Postby sushisimo » August 31st, 2016, 9:41 am

Not sure if this is the right place to post this. (Did a search) The glass lobby addition to the 100 Washington building looks like tacked-on crap, IMHO. I know they needed their backside serviced because of leakage, so that work makes sense. Wasn't this a Minoru Yamasaki designed building? Like it or not, the beauty of it was the cold symmetry of everything. The ground level is now destroyed.

User avatar
Nathan
Capella Tower
Posts: 3695
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 10:42 am

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby Nathan » August 31st, 2016, 9:47 am

Well, it has to be tacked on to preserve the architectural integrity of the building.

What it does:
takes the dirty dingy side door skyway entrance and makes it a fully day lit, more accessible from the street entrance.

Adds (if I remember correctly) another retail space to Washington in a very dead zone.

It's also super clear glass so you're going to see light and activity in this space rather than nothing.

I am huge on design and architectural preservation, but I think this is a win for the neighborhood and can easily be undone if needed.

(My dream concept was just glass in between all 4 legs apple store style, but this is alright.

sushisimo
Landmark Center
Posts: 226
Joined: June 2nd, 2012, 3:47 pm

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby sushisimo » August 31st, 2016, 10:10 am

Or, how about leaving the building vaulted on the 4 legs as designed. End of story. There's more than enough store frontage on Washington... if there was any interest.

Online
Silophant
Moderator
Posts: 4470
Joined: June 20th, 2012, 4:33 pm
Location: Whimsical NE

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby Silophant » August 31st, 2016, 10:24 am

More than enough? There isn't a single storefront, vacant or occupied, on Washington between Hennepin and 3rd.

ETA: I guess there is one small bay tucked away by the garage entrance of The Crossings. Still, it's not like there's tons of empty spaces.
Joey Senkyr
[email protected]

mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
Posts: 7752
Joined: June 19th, 2012, 2:04 pm
Location: NORI: NOrth of RIchfield

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby mattaudio » August 31st, 2016, 10:49 am

I agree that some sort of at least most of our Minoru Yamasaki examples are worth preserving. But it's obvious that this building -like many of its era- has significant defects with regard to supporting, addressing, and interacting with the public/street realm.

The best strategy is to do lightweight modifications such as this to make the building less hostile to the streetscape, while still doing whatever possible to preserve its original design and ideally be completely reversible to its original design.

One of the most important parts of historic preservation is allowing buildings to evolve just enough to actually still stay functional and beloved. Unless they are in a museum.

SixOneTwo
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 115
Joined: July 26th, 2012, 9:59 am

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby SixOneTwo » August 31st, 2016, 10:54 am

FYI the retail space in this building will be a coffee shop.

http://minneapolis.eater.com/2016/8/5/1 ... ons-owners

Archiapolis
US Bank Plaza
Posts: 768
Joined: November 2nd, 2012, 8:59 am

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby Archiapolis » August 31st, 2016, 12:49 pm

I agree that some sort of at least most of our Minoru Yamasaki examples are worth preserving. But it's obvious that this building -like many of its era- has significant defects with regard to supporting, addressing, and interacting with the public/street realm.

The best strategy is to do lightweight modifications such as this to make the building less hostile to the streetscape, while still doing whatever possible to preserve its original design and ideally be completely reversible to its original design.

One of the most important parts of historic preservation is allowing buildings to evolve just enough to actually still stay functional and beloved. Unless they are in a museum.
PLUS one.

sushisimo
Landmark Center
Posts: 226
Joined: June 2nd, 2012, 3:47 pm

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby sushisimo » August 31st, 2016, 1:56 pm

OK, who wants coffee! On a 43 mph, 6-laner.

User avatar
Nathan
Capella Tower
Posts: 3695
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 10:42 am

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby Nathan » August 31st, 2016, 2:16 pm

OK, who wants coffee! On a 43 mph, 6-laner.
Well the next time traffic is allowed in that area it will be 4 lanes with more plantings and a protected cycle track...

ztr421
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 166
Joined: October 2nd, 2012, 9:10 am

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby ztr421 » August 31st, 2016, 2:18 pm

OK, who wants coffee! On a 43 mph, 6-laner.
The Eastside patio is significantly closer to that "6-laner" and is usually pretty full, so I don't think it's an issue.

EOst
Capella Tower
Posts: 2424
Joined: March 19th, 2014, 8:05 pm
Location: Saint Paul

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby EOst » August 31st, 2016, 3:39 pm

I agree that some sort of at least most of our Minoru Yamasaki examples are worth preserving. But it's obvious that this building -like many of its era- has significant defects with regard to supporting, addressing, and interacting with the public/street realm.

The best strategy is to do lightweight modifications such as this to make the building less hostile to the streetscape, while still doing whatever possible to preserve its original design and ideally be completely reversible to its original design.

One of the most important parts of historic preservation is allowing buildings to evolve just enough to actually still stay functional and beloved. Unless they are in a museum.
I don't know. The whole point of these buildings was to be austere and distant and statuesque. Yadda yadda ends justify means, but I don't think you can really argue that this is compatible with Yamasaki's design.

mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
Posts: 7752
Joined: June 19th, 2012, 2:04 pm
Location: NORI: NOrth of RIchfield

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby mattaudio » August 31st, 2016, 3:58 pm

Well, I guess we could tear it down and put up something different then.

EOst
Capella Tower
Posts: 2424
Joined: March 19th, 2014, 8:05 pm
Location: Saint Paul

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby EOst » August 31st, 2016, 6:29 pm

Area man wants to destroy work of art

User avatar
FISHMANPET
IDS Center
Posts: 4241
Joined: June 6th, 2012, 2:19 pm
Location: Corcoran

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby FISHMANPET » August 31st, 2016, 8:09 pm

A city is more than a museum, it also has to function.

seanrichardryan
IDS Center
Posts: 4092
Joined: June 3rd, 2012, 9:33 pm
Location: Merriam Park, St. Paul

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby seanrichardryan » August 31st, 2016, 8:54 pm

New rule: No one complains about something until they provide a photo for context.
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

EOst
Capella Tower
Posts: 2424
Joined: March 19th, 2014, 8:05 pm
Location: Saint Paul

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby EOst » August 31st, 2016, 9:02 pm

Plenty of cities *are* run like museums, and they "function" just fine.

But no one's arguing for that anyway. A unique sculptural skyscraper by a world-renowned architect isn't just another building.

User avatar
FISHMANPET
IDS Center
Posts: 4241
Joined: June 6th, 2012, 2:19 pm
Location: Corcoran

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby FISHMANPET » August 31st, 2016, 9:41 pm

For all of human history, with the exception of the past 50-100 years, cities have been built on a pedestrian scale because there was no other option. In the 20th century we were able to ignore the pedestrian and focus on the car. This lead to some architectural movements that should be preserved, but are often hostile to a pedestrian city.

So we can view a city as a museum, or we can view it as a functioning city. Many places have the luxury of being built in a way that is functional so that preserving what is in place preserves a city that functions on a pedestrian scale. When we preserve this pedestrian hostile architecture in place we preserve a city that does not function.

mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
Posts: 7752
Joined: June 19th, 2012, 2:04 pm
Location: NORI: NOrth of RIchfield

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby mattaudio » September 1st, 2016, 6:54 am

My employer has (one of our many) large conference centers in this building, and so I'm in this building a few times a year for meetings. It's just *not* a place where you want to be, other than doing your business inside. The tiny lobby has felt so strange to me when I would enter this building. Especially during the winter, when the underside of the building creates awful wind tunnels between the sidewalk and the doorway.

A simple Apple-style glass curtain wall between the four legs of the building would create an indoor space that could function all year round, with island-format retail or food vendors inside. Sort of like a Crystal Court for the north end. Lighting could be provided in these kiosks or on park-style poles, preserving the barren wasteland that is the underside of the tower structure. In fact, light could shine up on the underside to warm the entire space with diffuse light.

Then, modify that ugg skyway that approaches the building like it's the original Trump-Pence logo, and make it a glassy mezzanine level on the eastern end with a beautiful indoor staircase near the corner pillar of Washington and Second. And bam, the north end of downtown finally has a better street-skyway interface to boot.

kiliff75
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 175
Joined: February 3rd, 2013, 10:14 pm
Location: Northbound Brewpub - Standish

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby kiliff75 » September 1st, 2016, 7:00 am

Are there any pictures of the new lobby?

mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
Posts: 7752
Joined: June 19th, 2012, 2:04 pm
Location: NORI: NOrth of RIchfield

Re: Washington Avenue

Postby mattaudio » September 1st, 2016, 7:12 am

I'm in this building a few times a year for meetings. It's just *not* a place where you want to be, other than doing your business inside. The tiny lobby has felt so strange to me when I would enter this building. Especially during the winter, when the underside of the building creates awful wind tunnels between the sidewalk and the doorway.

A simple Apple-style glass curtain wall between the four legs of the building would create an indoor space that could function all year round, with island-format retail or food vendors inside. Sort of like a Crystal Court for the north end. Lighting could be provided in these kiosks or on park-style poles, preserving the barren wasteland that is the underside of the tower structure. In fact, light could shine up on the underside to warm the entire space with diffuse light.

Then, modify that ugg skyway that approaches the building like it's the original Trump-Pence logo, and make it a glassy mezzanine level on the eastern end with a beautiful indoor staircase near the corner pillar of Washington and Second. And bam, the north end of downtown finally has a better street-skyway interface to boot.


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 54 guests