This might seem like a random post but the above link leads to the home page of the Clermont Hotel Design competition, which is possibly the most insulting competition ever created.
The competition is being used to generate some cheap publicity for a bunch of hack sponsors. The "winning entry" of this awful ideas-stealing competition gets $1000, a weekend at the sh!thole hotel, and a one year supply of some coffee-ish beverage. The runner-up? That person gets a PBR Tallboy and a lap dance. Seriously. Those years you spent in school learning to better yourself and the world around you: they are worth a can of beer and a lap dance by one of your mom's old friends (the one she doesn't talk to anymore because of her drug problem).
Don't get me wrong. Competitions are a great way to generate some buzz about a potential project. The disappointment I have isn't just that the competition prizes suck (I admit the grand would be nice, but the rest is just crap) but the fact that a lot of people in the Atlanta area are going to enter this competition because they've been laid off from work and have nothing better to do. It wreaks of being taken advantage of and its sickening.
Probably the most insulting part about the whole thing is the involvement of a local architecture/interior design firm, ai3 group. They've had a nice string of very loud restaurants built over the last couple of years. Loud, as in sound attenuation means nothing to them. I can only assume, since I have no real way of verifying, that they got paid a considerable amount to help put together the competition. Why are there so many cannibals in this profession? This firm should be ashamed to be involved in this joke of a contest, but they're going to be too busy stealing the ideas of the entries while signing the contract to re-do the hotel.
i actully think thats a pretty cool idea... i really have no idea at all why this would get anyone outraged... grifter, i think you might take yourself, and your profession a little bit too seriously
excuse me, but second prize is a lapdance?! Way to enforce bullshit patronistic stereotypes, you losers. "Architects are men, and all men love a good slutty lapdance, voila, second place!"
This "competition" is bullshit and shows you just how low most people rate our profession. It is open to "architects... bartenders... dancers..." what the fuck. I'm all for egalitarian attempts but don't try to market this as a design competition. Market it as a kitschy ideas competition, fine. ("colored pencils"?)
This is just lame. If that's how lowly they rate design input, then they're going to get some extremely low-rate design input. They should just go ahead and do a proper competition (who cares if it's supposed to be a kitschy place, you can still make a kitschy proper competition) and get proper design advice that could actually save their "authentically" crummy little hotel. In the end they're the ones that will have their time wasted here.
1) i don't get the Clermont Lounge BUT...i acknowledge Atlanta holding onto anything to start the rebuilding of destruction which took place so long ago
2) although i think there are better ideation vehicles around architecture and design, the Clermont isn't the worst thing we could see using a facelift (and possibly re-staff).
3) I think the compensation is rightfully synched up with the cause. Especially 2nd Place. i know several folks who like the Clermont and an luke-warm PBR would suffice for any amount of time invested.
I don't think I have to point out the sexist irony in the fact that you think only men like lapdances.
don't be silly -- that's precisely my POINT -- is that THEY are making those assertions!
to spell it out:
sexist assertion #1 : "architects are male"
sexist assertion #2 : "males like lapdances"
My point was precisely that BOTH are stereotypes... that's the whole point...
And nope, no knickers in any knots. it's a ridiculous competition that will produce ridiculous results, and at base it, rather than being "kitschy", is simply shallow & derogatory. As I said above : the ones who lose here are the organizers themselves.
manta, the club IS a sleazy club, what else would you expect? tea teetotalers? it's all tongue in cheek, and after all sleazy sex club owners are hardly models for equal rights, so i don't expect anything more.
"Art that was catergorized as Kitsch,or Bad Taste, was of special interest to Bruce Goff, not in a formal way but more as an intriguing and attractive curosity. Goff seemed to be acuetely aware of a wid range of imagery and the resulting degree of attraction, interest or response is generate at many leels. His natural curiosity allowed for infuuence from a wide array of aesthetic values - his own, I believe, shaped by a nont intellectual spontaneous log jam of assimilated images. There are many forrk and twists in this road. The manisfestaton of Kitch that I associate with Goff would be most aligne with the work of unsophisticated artist or the spontaneous creation often produced through unquestioning motivation and including ad hoc items, intuittively created perhaps by those who are moved to self-expression directy by their senses. A differnt art form, aoa on not so innocent was becoming popal in the early 19th century, whte the aesthetic of a large amount of art worw was associated with a sense of "exerggerated sentimentality or melodrama and pathos." Tthe work Kitsch was "brought into use as a response" to this movement and, in a twist, Kitsch was also recognized as a"gesture imitative of the superficial apperances of that art."
Goff fist introduce his student to a Kitsch with a story about an exhibition in Nunich, Germany after the turn of the 20th Century. The exhibit, concocted by a group of artist, contained a large number of everyday household articles and was touted as a
"Kitsch Exhibition." Kitsch meaning, "pretentious trash or bad taste."
As Goff told the story, a large number of middle class citizens and others attended the exhibition, curious as to the contents of a show of Bad Taste and were shocked to find many items on display were fimiliar to them and could be found in their own homes and surroundings. Iam sure Goff took some pleasure in the joke as a harmless jolt to complacent sensibilities. This was the Kitsch, I think, that also fascinted him and others, the Kitsch "responsible for the stangnant appel of mass culture," tp be guarded against. This Kitsch is, "we might say, that which stifles progress or allows stagnation." This was the abbbreviated message in his observation, "Deep down in each of us the is something that is stagnant.
Taken from an article written by Robert Faust, Auburn, Alabama,
for the 25 Five Years of The Friends of Kebyar Publication.
Robert Faust was a former student of Bruce Goff.
It thought it only fitting for this Thread....I think he would jump right in and enjoy the hell out of the project!
everyone's assertion that a lap dance from blondie has anything to do with sex is what's wrong here. she's rather abrasive, and i would imagine 99% of her clients (male or female) would be more likely file her services under "comic torture" than some sort of sexual gratification. people go there for fun, and i'm assuming the organizers are presenting the comp. in the same way.
i painted some rental properties with robert faust one summer while at auburn and had him for studio...that dude is a hoot.
Bigger Fish to Fry = Why hasn't the city of Atlanta/Westin replaced the windows from 3/14/08? Although a dated model of modernism and contemporary architecture, it's time we replace the windows in that pillar of glass and show all those who are visiting our city, that we care more about our visually prominent architecture, than that of a decaying underground (literally) smokey hole of a strip bar. Perhaps proceeds from Girl Scouts of America cookie sales could go towards completing that repair.
breaddome - the issue isn't money, it's getting an exact match for the replacement glass. what's in there was basically a custom order at the time and it's been nearly impossible to replicate it again. the owner isn't going to replace all the units (which they could do to match them all up) and i give them some credit for not wanting to half-ass it with the replacements (which they could have much more easily, quickly, and cheaply).
on the competition - if people didn't get that this whole thing is something of a joke upon reading the website....
Completely agree on the Competition. that's my point. it's humorous that people would get that up in arms about it. it's silly really - and i love a good competition.
on the Portman Pole - thanks for clearing that up. i have been wondering what the delay was. It's such a graphic representation of architecture/visual to the cityscape.
I think the competition is hilarious. I think its funny. I don't think funny should substitute compensation. That's the problem.
People undervalue this profession. Including many architects, especially the ones sponsoring this competition. The $1000 grand prize is great, but that's not a lot of money for your time and ideas. That's what you get paid for.
A much better first prize would be for ai3 to offer the winner a job or a piece of their commission to implement the design, or, even better, the developer trying to sell the building gives a piece of the sales price to the winner (if it helps GKD sell the building).
Second prize should be $1000. But instead it's a lap dance. I've had plenty at the Clermont (I am a fan of this place) and they're not worth the $20 you pay. Its like getting molested by your near retired school teacher. Oh, and a beer.
***
On the Westin: They can't get the glass, not just because its custom, but because the new glass will require a mullion at 42" per code. Therefore, no one will make the new glass.
i have seen a lot more competitions with less compensation
is that really the issue with it?
i missed it, is there an entrance fee?
what is required to be submitted, is it printed boards?
those kinds of things bother me more about competitions, as it gets too pricey to even enter
any prize won is just a bonus really
unless you think you should be compensated with prize money any time you enter a competition
i also find you ever really get fully compensated for your time and ideas in competitions anyway
you shouldnt be doing it for the money
maybe for lap dances though........
I am getting the bug to enter this competition the more we talk about it.
I think maybe a better idea would be for ALL OF US on this thread to form a new company called SKINitecture (and we specialize in the design and development of structures dedicated to the presentation and glorification of the human form) (my spin on things).
Or we can figure out a way to start enforcing a vision around the architecture in this city and urban planning - fusing some sort of city-branding strategy so that it can be less known for it's urban protected, concrete-enmassed, free-for-all modern melting pot of glass and steel.
ATLANTA NEEDS A PLAN.
Jun 26, 09 1:51 pm ·
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Clermont Hotel Design Competition Outrage
This might seem like a random post but the above link leads to the home page of the Clermont Hotel Design competition, which is possibly the most insulting competition ever created.
The competition is being used to generate some cheap publicity for a bunch of hack sponsors. The "winning entry" of this awful ideas-stealing competition gets $1000, a weekend at the sh!thole hotel, and a one year supply of some coffee-ish beverage. The runner-up? That person gets a PBR Tallboy and a lap dance. Seriously. Those years you spent in school learning to better yourself and the world around you: they are worth a can of beer and a lap dance by one of your mom's old friends (the one she doesn't talk to anymore because of her drug problem).
Don't get me wrong. Competitions are a great way to generate some buzz about a potential project. The disappointment I have isn't just that the competition prizes suck (I admit the grand would be nice, but the rest is just crap) but the fact that a lot of people in the Atlanta area are going to enter this competition because they've been laid off from work and have nothing better to do. It wreaks of being taken advantage of and its sickening.
Probably the most insulting part about the whole thing is the involvement of a local architecture/interior design firm, ai3 group. They've had a nice string of very loud restaurants built over the last couple of years. Loud, as in sound attenuation means nothing to them. I can only assume, since I have no real way of verifying, that they got paid a considerable amount to help put together the competition. Why are there so many cannibals in this profession? This firm should be ashamed to be involved in this joke of a contest, but they're going to be too busy stealing the ideas of the entries while signing the contract to re-do the hotel.
For those of you not familiar with the notorious club located in the basement of the hotel: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clermont_Lounge
i actully think thats a pretty cool idea... i really have no idea at all why this would get anyone outraged... grifter, i think you might take yourself, and your profession a little bit too seriously
That's a hilarious contest! Why not??
grifter, nobody says you have to enter. Why all the outrage? Second place in every competition should be a beer and a lapdance.
third place is you're fired.
excuse me, but second prize is a lapdance?! Way to enforce bullshit patronistic stereotypes, you losers. "Architects are men, and all men love a good slutty lapdance, voila, second place!"
This "competition" is bullshit and shows you just how low most people rate our profession. It is open to "architects... bartenders... dancers..." what the fuck. I'm all for egalitarian attempts but don't try to market this as a design competition. Market it as a kitschy ideas competition, fine. ("colored pencils"?)
This is just lame. If that's how lowly they rate design input, then they're going to get some extremely low-rate design input. They should just go ahead and do a proper competition (who cares if it's supposed to be a kitschy place, you can still make a kitschy proper competition) and get proper design advice that could actually save their "authentically" crummy little hotel. In the end they're the ones that will have their time wasted here.
so for reporting income on your unemployment, if you win second place and receive a lap dance, how much should it be reported as being worth?
ai3po has fallen a little in my eyes.
Ok, i have to get in on this.
1) i don't get the Clermont Lounge BUT...i acknowledge Atlanta holding onto anything to start the rebuilding of destruction which took place so long ago
2) although i think there are better ideation vehicles around architecture and design, the Clermont isn't the worst thing we could see using a facelift (and possibly re-staff).
3) I think the compensation is rightfully synched up with the cause. Especially 2nd Place. i know several folks who like the Clermont and an luke-warm PBR would suffice for any amount of time invested.
wow, manta, you sure got your knickers in a knot, don't you?
I don't think I have to point out the sexist irony in the fact that you think only men like lapdances.
;)
yeah totally, dustin.
i used to work as a cook in a stripper-ing club and trust me the interest is not limited to men. very sexist and stereotypical indeed. very upset.
not really (upset, i mean. the cook in the peeler bar is true enough).
don't be silly -- that's precisely my POINT -- is that THEY are making those assertions!
to spell it out:
sexist assertion #1 : "architects are male"
sexist assertion #2 : "males like lapdances"
My point was precisely that BOTH are stereotypes... that's the whole point...
And nope, no knickers in any knots. it's a ridiculous competition that will produce ridiculous results, and at base it, rather than being "kitschy", is simply shallow & derogatory. As I said above : the ones who lose here are the organizers themselves.
manta, the club IS a sleazy club, what else would you expect? tea teetotalers? it's all tongue in cheek, and after all sleazy sex club owners are hardly models for equal rights, so i don't expect anything more.
"Art that was catergorized as Kitsch,or Bad Taste, was of special interest to Bruce Goff, not in a formal way but more as an intriguing and attractive curosity. Goff seemed to be acuetely aware of a wid range of imagery and the resulting degree of attraction, interest or response is generate at many leels. His natural curiosity allowed for infuuence from a wide array of aesthetic values - his own, I believe, shaped by a nont intellectual spontaneous log jam of assimilated images. There are many forrk and twists in this road. The manisfestaton of Kitch that I associate with Goff would be most aligne with the work of unsophisticated artist or the spontaneous creation often produced through unquestioning motivation and including ad hoc items, intuittively created perhaps by those who are moved to self-expression directy by their senses. A differnt art form, aoa on not so innocent was becoming popal in the early 19th century, whte the aesthetic of a large amount of art worw was associated with a sense of "exerggerated sentimentality or melodrama and pathos." Tthe work Kitsch was "brought into use as a response" to this movement and, in a twist, Kitsch was also recognized as a"gesture imitative of the superficial apperances of that art."
Goff fist introduce his student to a Kitsch with a story about an exhibition in Nunich, Germany after the turn of the 20th Century. The exhibit, concocted by a group of artist, contained a large number of everyday household articles and was touted as a
"Kitsch Exhibition." Kitsch meaning, "pretentious trash or bad taste."
As Goff told the story, a large number of middle class citizens and others attended the exhibition, curious as to the contents of a show of Bad Taste and were shocked to find many items on display were fimiliar to them and could be found in their own homes and surroundings. Iam sure Goff took some pleasure in the joke as a harmless jolt to complacent sensibilities. This was the Kitsch, I think, that also fascinted him and others, the Kitsch "responsible for the stangnant appel of mass culture," tp be guarded against. This Kitsch is, "we might say, that which stifles progress or allows stagnation." This was the abbbreviated message in his observation, "Deep down in each of us the is something that is stagnant.
Taken from an article written by Robert Faust, Auburn, Alabama,
for the 25 Five Years of The Friends of Kebyar Publication.
Robert Faust was a former student of Bruce Goff.
It thought it only fitting for this Thread....I think he would jump right in and enjoy the hell out of the project!
everyone's assertion that a lap dance from blondie has anything to do with sex is what's wrong here. she's rather abrasive, and i would imagine 99% of her clients (male or female) would be more likely file her services under "comic torture" than some sort of sexual gratification. people go there for fun, and i'm assuming the organizers are presenting the comp. in the same way.
i painted some rental properties with robert faust one summer while at auburn and had him for studio...that dude is a hoot.
manta, for my response to your reply, see the winking emoticon at the end of my previous post.
Architecture + Comical Strip Shack + Competition = Enjoyable Posts
thanks everyone for your insight + perspective.
Bigger Fish to Fry = Why hasn't the city of Atlanta/Westin replaced the windows from 3/14/08? Although a dated model of modernism and contemporary architecture, it's time we replace the windows in that pillar of glass and show all those who are visiting our city, that we care more about our visually prominent architecture, than that of a decaying underground (literally) smokey hole of a strip bar. Perhaps proceeds from Girl Scouts of America cookie sales could go towards completing that repair.
breaddome - the issue isn't money, it's getting an exact match for the replacement glass. what's in there was basically a custom order at the time and it's been nearly impossible to replicate it again. the owner isn't going to replace all the units (which they could do to match them all up) and i give them some credit for not wanting to half-ass it with the replacements (which they could have much more easily, quickly, and cheaply).
on the competition - if people didn't get that this whole thing is something of a joke upon reading the website....
though i find it a bit odd the windows have been out for over a year, i personally think it looks better now, or it is at least more interesting.
but i agree, from a visitors standpoint it is sad.
Completely agree on the Competition. that's my point. it's humorous that people would get that up in arms about it. it's silly really - and i love a good competition.
on the Portman Pole - thanks for clearing that up. i have been wondering what the delay was. It's such a graphic representation of architecture/visual to the cityscape.
I think the competition is hilarious. I think its funny. I don't think funny should substitute compensation. That's the problem.
People undervalue this profession. Including many architects, especially the ones sponsoring this competition. The $1000 grand prize is great, but that's not a lot of money for your time and ideas. That's what you get paid for.
A much better first prize would be for ai3 to offer the winner a job or a piece of their commission to implement the design, or, even better, the developer trying to sell the building gives a piece of the sales price to the winner (if it helps GKD sell the building).
Second prize should be $1000. But instead it's a lap dance. I've had plenty at the Clermont (I am a fan of this place) and they're not worth the $20 you pay. Its like getting molested by your near retired school teacher. Oh, and a beer.
***
On the Westin: They can't get the glass, not just because its custom, but because the new glass will require a mullion at 42" per code. Therefore, no one will make the new glass.
i have seen a lot more competitions with less compensation
is that really the issue with it?
i missed it, is there an entrance fee?
what is required to be submitted, is it printed boards?
those kinds of things bother me more about competitions, as it gets too pricey to even enter
any prize won is just a bonus really
unless you think you should be compensated with prize money any time you enter a competition
i also find you ever really get fully compensated for your time and ideas in competitions anyway
you shouldnt be doing it for the money
maybe for lap dances though........
I am getting the bug to enter this competition the more we talk about it.
I think maybe a better idea would be for ALL OF US on this thread to form a new company called SKINitecture (and we specialize in the design and development of structures dedicated to the presentation and glorification of the human form) (my spin on things).
Or we can figure out a way to start enforcing a vision around the architecture in this city and urban planning - fusing some sort of city-branding strategy so that it can be less known for it's urban protected, concrete-enmassed, free-for-all modern melting pot of glass and steel.
ATLANTA NEEDS A PLAN.
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