John Portman- bet on cities as others were fleeing (Atlanta: hotel, designs)

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

If Portman had been able to fully realize his dream of buildings with grand atriums all connected with sky bridges and a Jetsons-esque futuristic landscape, I think we'd be better off. Street level stuff is fine, but I'd rather have everything connected with indoor walkways with shops, like in Las Vegas! At least in the urban core, I think you should be able to get from anywhere to anywhere without ever having to step outside.

So basically downtown should be one big mall?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Peachtree Center is pretty alright, but that's despite Portman's vision, not really because of it. Step a block away, and you loose nearly all the storefronts, commercial entrances, and residencies in favor of utility access, garage portals, and just blank walls. That surrounds and takes up quite a few blocks in the area.

You're talking about the side for service entrances, loading docks, trash, garage entrances, etc.? How do you get around that? I've seen the same thing in many cities. And in many non-Portman buildings.

[cqholt]

Peachtree Center is getting better and offering programs, like the PC green market, to get people out of the towers and onto the street.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by arjay57

You're talking about the side for service entrances, loading docks, trash, garage entrances, etc.? How do you get around that? I've seen the same thing in many cities. And in many non-Portman buildings.

You don't need to get rid of the service entrances, but you could have small commercial spaces set into the blank walls. The real issue is not that they're there, but that they create these super blocks where only one side is really useful to pedestrians.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

So basically downtown should be one big mall?

Houston or Minneapolis.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Houston or Minneapolis.

The two cities that came immediately to mind. And Charlotte, to a lesser extent.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

The two cities that came immediately to mind. And Charlotte, to a lesser extent.

WTF Charlotte? It's not like you are in the freezing tundra.

[ATLTJL]

So basically downtown should be one big mall?

Yeah, sort of. Just like PATH in Toronto.

[tikigod311]

Montreal has the same thing going too.

I personally love the interior of many of Atlanta's Portman designed buildings, especially the Marriott Marquis. Absolutely stunning interior, I feel very fortunate to have something like that I can just go casually grab a beer in. I think too many Atlantans forget about these spaces and they go underappreciated.

[AtlantaIsHot]

Portman was definitely a great architect and his interiors and designs were incredible to behold. He was not a great urban planner and his designs reflect his flaws in that. I still regard him as an incredible architect and a true visionary who did far more good than harm.