When I mentioned the other metros in my previous post, it wasn't meant to compare skylines nor did it imply that those cities consistently incubate great design. The comparison was meant to invoke a sense that we could do better on the design front overall. We could use an appealing visual aesthetic as a lever to become more competitive with other metro areas. As a Chicago native, I know that Minneapolis is no Chicago. But that shouldn't preclude the city from having some quality design. Also, I know it's not feasible to make every building architecturally iconic, but the current design of this building as it stands barely meets satisfactory design standards IMO. I say this because I have seen some great design come from the Twin Cities and this rendering just doesn't cut it.
When will the Twin Cities get serious about increasing the design bar? Will this region settle for mediocrity for the sake of progress or will it challenge the current landscape and emerge as a region with civic pride in its development projects overall?
I really have to strongly disagree that we have settled for mediocrity in this city...look around. The Guthrie, Central Library, Walker, Weisman, MIA addition, Swedish Institute addition, and New Mc Phail building are all relatively recent examples off the top my head of buildings designed by very well known architects, some of them world famous. We have a history of demanding gret design and NOT settling...The 3 tallest buildings in town were designed by world famous firms and we have very few boring boxes that you see elsewhere. Many architecture nuts would kill to have the amount of wonderfully designed buildings we have...even Rapson's Riverside Plaza. Seriously, we have more than our fair share of architectural showpieces.
I don't think the designs of recent privately financed market rate apartments are a great way to judge the standard of architecure in a city, but that is just me. I mean, really...step back and look, list all the works by great and famous architects in this city. I don't see how anyone could say we have always "settled for mediocrity". I really don't think you will often find market rate privately financed multi-family housing that evokes a great deal of civic pride(there are, of course, exceptions)....those aren't the buildings that represent a city. I would have to say that Minneapolis takes more pride in the architecture of it's major buildings than most places do really.
All that aside...no, this one isn't my favorite. I do like it better than The Nic though. Neither of them makes me think the city is settling...have you heard the things the city demands of developers at some of the planning commission meetings? Sometimes it is like they try to redesign buildings themselves. They actually do a fairly good job of holding developers to what standards they can.