That unfinished lofty feel (Atlanta: real estate, lofts, condos)

[ATLTJL]

Well, I'm not an architect, so I don't know exactly what it's called (I'm sure there's a name for it).

I know for many decades, unfinished loft spaces have been popular with artists. I always thought it was because they lived in converted warehouses and didn't actually go after the unfinished feel, they just dealt with it because that was what was cheap.

In another post, someone was talking about Switchyards, which I think is a neat project. I looked at some renderings of it, and this struck me:


I know this is the coffee shop, but the rest of the building shares the same look with the concrete ceilings, exposed ductwork...what's with the garage door?

I really started noticing this around Atlanta in the real estate boom of the 2000s when new condos, particularly Novare properties, used this type of construction with exposed concrete, 3/4 walls, etc. This wasn't to preserve history, it was to save money and appeal to tastes.

Most of the projects people are excited about -- Krog St. Market, Ponce City Market, Switchyards, etc. -- seem to employ this styling.

I just wanted to see what everybody thinks about it. Will there come a day when this look is considered "so early 21st century," or will it endure? And, do you like it?

Personally, I've always disliked the unfinished look. I love urban decay and the occasional old, historic pub or restaurant, and I understand why paying homage to history is important. But for the most part, I prefer a sleek, finished look. I understand many don't like cold, stark lines...and I don't either when everything feels like it came from Ikea. But I really like when modern design meets warmth, and the best example I can think of is the Aria casino in Las Vegas.



I just wanted to see what everyone thinks. Certainly, Atlanta has its fair share of modern (downtown W, SunTrust Plaza, etc.), but it seems like the newest projects are mostly embrace the unfinished look. Perhaps it's a reflection of the parts of town they are located in, I don't know.

Discuss.

[zedsmith]

its all very "on trend" and a lot of it will look tired in a few years. It already looks tired to me, and I count myself as a fan of the aesthetic. :-/

[cwkimbro]

I think I see it as a blank canvas that can easily change with the times.

Take your coffee shop rendering as example. It would be easy to re-build any xyz shop there with a completely different look or theme. The wall facade can easily be covered. The oversized hanging art can be reprinted and placed in a variety of different ways.

Now any building can always remodel, but this type can change things fairly cheaply quickly.

I don't disagree with you. I just like to see a mash up of different architecture. I also like older, more traditional architecture as well.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Well, I'm not an architect, so I don't know exactly what it's called (I'm sure there's a name for it).

I know for many decades, unfinished loft spaces have been popular with artists. I always thought it was because they lived in converted warehouses and didn't actually go after the unfinished feel, they just dealt with it because that was what was cheap.

In another post, someone was talking about Switchyards, which I think is a neat project. I looked at some renderings of it, and this struck me:


I know this is the coffee shop, but the rest of the building shares the same look with the concrete ceilings, exposed ductwork...what's with the garage door?

I really started noticing this around Atlanta in the real estate boom of the 2000s when new condos, particularly Novare properties, used this type of construction with exposed concrete, 3/4 walls, etc. This wasn't to preserve history, it was to save money and appeal to tastes.

Most of the projects people are excited about -- Krog St. Market, Ponce City Market, Switchyards, etc. -- seem to employ this styling.

I just wanted to see what everybody thinks about it. Will there come a day when this look is considered "so early 21st century," or will it endure? And, do you like it?

Personally, I've always disliked the unfinished look. I love urban decay and the occasional old, historic pub or restaurant, and I understand why paying homage to history is important. But for the most part, I prefer a sleek, finished look. I understand many don't like cold, stark lines...and I don't either when everything feels like it came from Ikea. But I really like when modern design meets warmth, and the best example I can think of is the Aria casino in Las Vegas.



I just wanted to see what everyone thinks. Certainly, Atlanta has its fair share of modern (downtown W, SunTrust Plaza, etc.), but it seems like the newest projects are mostly embrace the unfinished look. Perhaps it's a reflection of the parts of town they are located in, I don't know.

Discuss.

Another great post! And that pic of Aria is beautiful. I agree that it is a perfect example of sleek, tasteful modern design.

I have a couple of architect and planner friends, and we talk about this subject in Atlanta a lot.

Their collective view is that Atlanta started embracing it's industrial past about 10 - 15 years ago, producing all of the new and rehab development featuring brick, glass, old wood & steel that we live with. Makes sense to me, and I generally love it. I also love the glass garage doors in businesses everywhere.

I agree with cwkimbro in that many of these places are easily adaptable to new uses, décor and design. Most of them have excellent bones to support a new palate when the time is right for change.

[vince217]

the clear garage door is so that they can fully open the interior to the outside when it is warm, and they have the flexibility of closing it but having sunlight stream in. ive seen several restaurants in the Atlanta area use this technique, and for the most part, you dont realize that there is a garage door hanging above your head.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I really started noticing this around Atlanta in the real estate boom of the 2000s when new condos, particularly Novare properties, used this type of construction with exposed concrete, 3/4 walls, etc. This wasn't to preserve history, it was to save money and appeal to tastes.

Most of the projects people are excited about -- Krog St. Market, Ponce City Market, Switchyards, etc. -- seem to employ this styling.

I just wanted to see what everybody thinks about it. Will there come a day when this look is considered "so early 21st century," or will it endure? And, do you like it?

It's more authentic, even if it is new.

[eRosewater]

I think there are misconceptions in this thread. Speaking from a construction background:

Firstly, this aesthetic is not a cost savings measure! It's all about taste. In some instances, it is about exposing historical features of an existing structure.

Sure, there are a few artist studios and lofts which genuinely retained industrial finishes and saved money by keeping this shabby-chic look. This is extremely rare.

The cheapest type of construction is drywall, carpet tile and drop acoustical ceilings. These spaces which expose the floors, walls and/or ceilings are actually on the pricier side when it comes to construction methods. This typically involves polishing concrete (high-end flooring option) and also makes infrastructure more expensive. Less walls means electrical is harder to run to the areas it's needed. It also means an investment in sound attenuation materials. If exposed, mechanical infrastructure/ductwork is typically a pricier, more aesthetically-pleasing type (often round vs square). Fireproofing, if exposed is also typically painted. It's like painting a sponge and it's not cheap. Most significantly, in these open areas you typically rely on casework and furniture to define spaces - both are much pricier methods than using walls.

The other photo you linked isn't especially relevant to these types of spaces. This is the lobby of a marquis project. These finishes and the detail in soffits and lighting are extremely high-end. This is usually only done in isolated areas of large or important buildings (think lobby of high-rises, museums, important civic buildings, airports, etc).

In the end, its all a matter of appropriateness and taste. Just because you see exposed structural materials doesn't mean it's cost-effective (its actually the opposite).

[ronyusa]

I have never been fond of the unfinished look. When I was shopping for a condo Midtown/Downtown a few months ago I saw a few that had that and walked out right away. Of course it is a matter of personal preference, for those like it as well as for those who do not; personally it feels dark and incomplete and to me somehow that is a bit depressing. Just my $0.02.