PNC Tower Preserved Facades Sketch (designs, best, basement)

[Ann_Arbor]

Nice hybrid. PNC is probably thinking, 'hey, every new highrise built downtown didn't bother preserving the streetscape, so why should we'. For the sake of construction, the facades become very inconvenient, unless they are completely moved offsite for a while. It is easiest to have as many street access points for cranes, trucks, etc. Though, historic facades definitely create a more attractive streetscape for lower-level retail and I would be in favor..

The design of the highrise doesn't do a whole lot for me given that this will be the headquarters of a major Fortune-500 company and the site is remarkable- I'll give it a B. The transparency of the glass and the interior forms down the core present some interesting views/spaces, though this is where you have to question the rendering's fidelity to the actual design- that is some really clear glass, and reflections can hinder that sort of see-through-ness.

[hempfield mania]

F... the facades, make it modern...

Out with the old, in with the new.

[bradjl2009]

Good job! It looks pretty nice and even doable.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

Looks good! The facades fill in that brutalist plaza level space quite well. As currently designed, the 5th Avenue side street front reminds me of something you'd see at Forbes Quad in Oakland. Even if they take down the facades, I'd hope they'd do something a little better at street-level than currently proposed.

[squarian]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

(C) The part I covered up? Really unremarkable in their sketch. I wonder why?

LOL - cause downtown needs more pointlessly wide expanses of concrete sidewalk?

[squarian]

Originally Posted by hempfield mania

F... the facades, make it modern...

Out with the old, in with the new.

Spoken like a true squadristi! Avanti Giovinezza!

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Good job! It looks pretty nice and even doable.

Thanks! My goal was just a basic proof of concept. Someone with some serious skills could probably do something really cool.

For example, I've been thinking about how it would look if the whole back section of the building on the corner (the side facing away from us in the renderings) was a glass wall. Sunlight could then come through the windows in the facade (which are actually quite large, although partially blocked off at the present) and into the plaza, creating a really cool effect.

Here is a close up of the building which should help demonstrate what I have in mind. Imagine light pouring through those two-story arches onto the plaza . . .

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by trlstreet

Looks good! The facades fill in that brutalist plaza level space quite well. As currently designed, the 5th Avenue side street front reminds me of something you'd see at Forbes Quad in Oakland. Even if they take down the facades, I'd hope they'd do something a little better at street-level than currently proposed.

Yeah, that part really stinks on ice. I didn't really notice at first due to being enchanted by the rest of the building, but that is a completely unacceptable street-level treatment.

To be fair, they say the design is a work in progress and they want public input on the street-level. So I assume no matter what happens with the facades, that part will change.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by squarian

LOL - cause downtown needs more pointlessly wide expanses of concrete sidewalk?

Seriously.

I know they have actually been struggling to make better use of the plaza areas around One PNC. I hope they don't really want a repeat.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Thanks! My goal was just a basic proof of concept. Someone with some serious skills could probably do something really cool.

For example, I've been thinking about how it would look if the whole back section of the building on the corner (the side facing away from us in the renderings) was a glass wall. Sunlight could then come through the windows in the facade (which are actually quite large, although partially blocked off at the present) and into the plaza, creating a really cool effect.

Here is a close up of the building which should help demonstrate what I have in mind:

That would be really cool idea also. There are so many things that could be done with this skyscraper to make it one of the most advanced skyscrapers in the country. There is a lot of potential with this building and it will add a lot to that area.