Does anyone else here loath prototype architecture as much as I do? Seriously...I'm sitting here doing prototype bank elevations in Illustrator. My company before this one was 95% banks, and they too were almost always prototypes. Now, I understand WHY it's like that, companies want corporate branding and recognition, and it's 10x easier/cheaper to make 5 models and build them 50 times each. Such is the way of retail. But isn't that the root of the problem of architecture? Just because one design works at this location, doesn't mean that it's apropriate at another. For instance, these prototypes are orientated in regards to appropriate drive-thru usage, and completely disregard the face with the most glazing and its appropriate orientation.
In addition, this one prototype I'm doing is in one of those new development strip malls that are the formulated prairie/stone/FLW vomit. The developer asked for use to use some faux stone to match the rest of the mall (keep in mind the bank is free standing from the strip mall). So the designer's solution here was to put faux stone on the front column...that's it, a single column. The rest of the building is precast and faux brick...making the stone completely out of context with the entire building!!! Either make the building look like it belongs or don't even try!
And who else hates faux brick and stone? Besides the fact that it looks ugly, it's a misappropriate use of materials...it essentially is a lie...and everyone (at least architects) can TELL it's fake! And don't give me that fucking arguement that it's economical, blah blah blah. That's bull shit, and I'm sick of that excuse.
address this at 'developernect'. you're preaching to the choir.
Feb 27, 06 1:28 pm ·
·
For the last few days I've been working on completing the manuscript of A Quondam Banquet of Virtual Sachlichkeit: Part III, and last night I've pretty much come to the conclusion of how to write/compose the last chapter which is entitled "Plop Plop Fizz Fizz."
I guess I've been incredibly fortunate in my career. I've never done a serious plop. I've done some boring and cheap projects, but they've all been at elast somewhat challenging.
Hang in there SuperBeatledud, you're Super after all, and I'm sure you'll vanquish those foes.
El Jeffe, I love this quote the article makes at the end:
"Making things nice is not making things right...Maybe we — and the world — would be better off if we spent less time worrying about the spotlight and more time worrying about all those people out there in the dark."
It's what I've been preaching to everyone here all along. Any one ever read Ralph Caplan's "By Design"? Any good?
The question ultimately remains when will architects step up and say "I'm not doing this design, it's not good design"? Unfortunatly, it's going to require a near universal metality amongst all architects. Since now if you refuse to do it in the traditionaly "cheap" way, a client will always be able to find someone willing to compromise their values.
Perhaps the solution is to limit the amount of architects that graduate? I know several people that graduated that all I could think of at the time was wow, what damage are they going to do when they get older?
Feb 27, 06 2:41 pm ·
·
"Even I'll do anything for a buck. Now let me see your teeth."
For the roof of a building I'm working on at the moment the contractor recently suggested to use plastic with some kinda green-coppery look instead of real copper...aaaaaaaarrgh
Fortunately we could convince the client not to do it, phew.
I'm looking forward to watch the copper turn green over the next 25 years.
How can we convince our clients not to go for the cheap faux solutions??
R.C. -- I don't agree that the solution requires universal thinking, or stopping certain individuals from studying architecture.
I think "J" has it closer. Everyone already has the same choice, and no one is forcing anyone to do anything. If you don't want to build crap, don't. Certain architects will take the jobs anyway, and will create for themselves an endless supply of such customers.
even if every last architect in the world refused to stamp that 'plop', it would find a way to get built. faux styled bank prototypes are not about architecture, they are about construction and money. we just so happen to be the profession whose lineage has fit us with the task "ok'ing" these things. I guarantee you if that by some miraculous turn of events, every registered architect out there were to refuse to stamp those things, there'd be a bill in congress (or wherever it'd have to go) to allow construction managers or something of the sort to run amok.
While R.C. brings up an interesting point concerning the dilema of perhaps oversaturation of architects, I would tend to agree with SuperHeavy on that even if all architects refused to build this pre-formulated masturbation, some how some act or law would change to allow someone else to design and approve it. After all, the law is decided by the people with money, not the people with ideals.
And J, I would quit except this is an internship that's part of my school's degree, and technically college credit. Burning bridges would not be advised since I'm technically required to return to the same firm for my summer internship...but good luck finding a firm out there that doesn't submit to the petty drivel we speak of (I know real ones exist, but they are few and often sought after).
I have 2 weeks left here before I go back to school. I've voiced my distain against faux brick and stone and prototyping. But I had to kick and scream to get of the last aweful project they had me on...ofcourse they put me on way worse, so I kind of need to bite my tongue until this summer. If they try to put me on this same stuff again, I'll refuse.
I am their illustrator bitch. nothing more. I have made some suggestions, which have essentially gone unheaded. If you want to get down to it, I've essentially put in my two weeks, and if/when I return to the company this summer, I won't accept the same project.
Has anyone ever thought of taking faux brick and painting it? It wouldn't solve the problem of using materials in an inproper way, but it could hide the ugliness of it.
I don't know if it's a good solution, but I do know that I like it when they take old brick buildings and paint them with vibrant colors. No one seems to do that during the initial creation of the building.
let's all go to the retail construction expo in chicage, where, on may 17, from 10:30 to 11:45am, raleigh cline with little diversified architectural consultants will speak about Retail Outside the Prototype Comfort Zone. You'll witness retailers, developers and architects discuss the challenges and solutions that retailers face to achieve successful, non-prototypical upfits within mixed-use projects.
If you're extra lucky, you may even learn what an upfit is!
Let's go do the plop
Does anyone else here loath prototype architecture as much as I do? Seriously...I'm sitting here doing prototype bank elevations in Illustrator. My company before this one was 95% banks, and they too were almost always prototypes. Now, I understand WHY it's like that, companies want corporate branding and recognition, and it's 10x easier/cheaper to make 5 models and build them 50 times each. Such is the way of retail. But isn't that the root of the problem of architecture? Just because one design works at this location, doesn't mean that it's apropriate at another. For instance, these prototypes are orientated in regards to appropriate drive-thru usage, and completely disregard the face with the most glazing and its appropriate orientation.
In addition, this one prototype I'm doing is in one of those new development strip malls that are the formulated prairie/stone/FLW vomit. The developer asked for use to use some faux stone to match the rest of the mall (keep in mind the bank is free standing from the strip mall). So the designer's solution here was to put faux stone on the front column...that's it, a single column. The rest of the building is precast and faux brick...making the stone completely out of context with the entire building!!! Either make the building look like it belongs or don't even try!
And who else hates faux brick and stone? Besides the fact that it looks ugly, it's a misappropriate use of materials...it essentially is a lie...and everyone (at least architects) can TELL it's fake! And don't give me that fucking arguement that it's economical, blah blah blah. That's bull shit, and I'm sick of that excuse.
Architects, stop being lazy and change shit!
address this at 'developernect'. you're preaching to the choir.
For the last few days I've been working on completing the manuscript of A Quondam Banquet of Virtual Sachlichkeit: Part III, and last night I've pretty much come to the conclusion of how to write/compose the last chapter which is entitled "Plop Plop Fizz Fizz."
so that's...
Pears Helene
The Speeches
Dried Fruit and Nuts
Australian Port and a Cigarette
The Ride Home
Plop Plop Fizz Fizz
Good article, el jeffe, thanks.
I guess I've been incredibly fortunate in my career. I've never done a serious plop. I've done some boring and cheap projects, but they've all been at elast somewhat challenging.
Hang in there SuperBeatledud, you're Super after all, and I'm sure you'll vanquish those foes.
<==== [lb makes him smile.]
El Jeffe, I love this quote the article makes at the end:
"Making things nice is not making things right...Maybe we — and the world — would be better off if we spent less time worrying about the spotlight and more time worrying about all those people out there in the dark."
It's what I've been preaching to everyone here all along. Any one ever read Ralph Caplan's "By Design"? Any good?
The question ultimately remains when will architects step up and say "I'm not doing this design, it's not good design"? Unfortunatly, it's going to require a near universal metality amongst all architects. Since now if you refuse to do it in the traditionaly "cheap" way, a client will always be able to find someone willing to compromise their values.
Perhaps the solution is to limit the amount of architects that graduate? I know several people that graduated that all I could think of at the time was wow, what damage are they going to do when they get older?
"Even I'll do anything for a buck. Now let me see your teeth."
I thought this post was about this guy:
Kabouter PLOP is a superstar in Belgium and Holland and for a second I was afraid he was heading for world-domination...
Plopperdeplopperdeplop !
Serious now...
For the roof of a building I'm working on at the moment the contractor recently suggested to use plastic with some kinda green-coppery look instead of real copper...aaaaaaaarrgh
Fortunately we could convince the client not to do it, phew.
I'm looking forward to watch the copper turn green over the next 25 years.
How can we convince our clients not to go for the cheap faux solutions??
R.C. -- I don't agree that the solution requires universal thinking, or stopping certain individuals from studying architecture.
I think "J" has it closer. Everyone already has the same choice, and no one is forcing anyone to do anything. If you don't want to build crap, don't. Certain architects will take the jobs anyway, and will create for themselves an endless supply of such customers.
even if every last architect in the world refused to stamp that 'plop', it would find a way to get built. faux styled bank prototypes are not about architecture, they are about construction and money. we just so happen to be the profession whose lineage has fit us with the task "ok'ing" these things. I guarantee you if that by some miraculous turn of events, every registered architect out there were to refuse to stamp those things, there'd be a bill in congress (or wherever it'd have to go) to allow construction managers or something of the sort to run amok.
While R.C. brings up an interesting point concerning the dilema of perhaps oversaturation of architects, I would tend to agree with SuperHeavy on that even if all architects refused to build this pre-formulated masturbation, some how some act or law would change to allow someone else to design and approve it. After all, the law is decided by the people with money, not the people with ideals.
And J, I would quit except this is an internship that's part of my school's degree, and technically college credit. Burning bridges would not be advised since I'm technically required to return to the same firm for my summer internship...but good luck finding a firm out there that doesn't submit to the petty drivel we speak of (I know real ones exist, but they are few and often sought after).
So, the rest of us should "stop being lazy and change shit", but you've got a list of reasons why YOU can't.
I have 2 weeks left here before I go back to school. I've voiced my distain against faux brick and stone and prototyping. But I had to kick and scream to get of the last aweful project they had me on...ofcourse they put me on way worse, so I kind of need to bite my tongue until this summer. If they try to put me on this same stuff again, I'll refuse.
You won't regret refusing.
I am their illustrator bitch. nothing more. I have made some suggestions, which have essentially gone unheaded. If you want to get down to it, I've essentially put in my two weeks, and if/when I return to the company this summer, I won't accept the same project.
I suggest Super, you do the same.
Has anyone ever thought of taking faux brick and painting it? It wouldn't solve the problem of using materials in an inproper way, but it could hide the ugliness of it.
I don't know if it's a good solution, but I do know that I like it when they take old brick buildings and paint them with vibrant colors. No one seems to do that during the initial creation of the building.
Here's an example of Main street in OTR in Cincinnati. I live by here, and I think it looks attractive:
let's all go to the retail construction expo in chicage, where, on may 17, from 10:30 to 11:45am, raleigh cline with little diversified architectural consultants will speak about Retail Outside the Prototype Comfort Zone. You'll witness retailers, developers and architects discuss the challenges and solutions that retailers face to achieve successful, non-prototypical upfits within mixed-use projects.
If you're extra lucky, you may even learn what an upfit is!
oh jeffe, u have a link to such?
careful - this stuff is like quicksilver....
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