Only we need it designed to have many units....

http://www.treehugger.com/antilia.jpg

http://www.treehugger.com/2007-11-15_162101.jpg

http://www.treehugger.com/2007-11-15_162101.jpg

Antilia Update: Not Necessarily the Biggest Monster Home
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.16.07
Design & Architecture

It appears that we may have maligned Mukesh Ambani and Perkins+Will in an earlier post; we called his 60 storey house a new Versailles and a garish display of excess.

Ralph Johnson of Perkins + Will tell Architectural Record that “There’s been a lot of crazy things floating around,but there’s actually a lot of positive things to talk about because it’s an interesting building.”

Evidently the family is only occupying 35,000 square feet, positively modest by American billionaire standards, and it is clad in "vertical gardens" to help shade the building and reduce the urban heat island effect. “You can use the whole wall almost like a tree and increase the green area of the site by five or 10 times over what it would be if you just did a green roof,” Johnson observers. “It’s a prototype for buildings of the future.” We stand so corrected. ::Architectural Record Perkins + Will Debunks Antilia Myths | News | Architectural Record (http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/071018perkinswill.asp)

"Perkins + Will designed Antilia, a 24-story corporate meeting facility and private residence, now under construction in Mumbai (top). The tower features several garden levels and a trellis, which supports panels of hydroponically grown plans, that act like a green band weaving in and out of the building to demarcate different program elements (middle). A large garden occupying a floor near the tower’s mid-section will separate the corporate meeting facility and parking levels from residential space above."

Antilia Update: Not Necessarily the Biggest Monster Home (TreeHugger) (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/11/antilia_update.php)

http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/10/24/mumbai_resid%20full%20size.jpg

That's interesting. Metro, I was reading the other day about how many big cities are using their tall building roofs as "green spaces," Nice gardens, the whole bit. Do you know if any of our buildings have done, or are planning to do this?

I know a few people who have their own buildings downtown have a few potted plants on their rooftops, but no real true green rooftops as they are dubbed. I'd love to see more of them downtown for several reasons. For one, they are more environmentally friendly and help reduce runoff water, help with CO2 emissions, help reduce the urban heat island effect, and frankly if done right, they look more pleasing to the eye as far as I'm concerned.

I'd love to see IF and WHEN Devon builds a new tower if they'd incorporate some green space and sustainability into their building design.

I know a few people who have their own buildings downtown have a few potted plants on their rooftops, but no real true green rooftops as they are dubbed. I'd love to see more of them downtown for several reasons. For one, they are more environmentally friendly and help reduce runoff water, help with CO2 emissions, help reduce the urban heat island effect, and frankly if done right, they look more pleasing to the eye as far as I'm concerned.

I'd love to see IF and WHEN Devon builds a new tower if they'd incorporate some green space and sustainability into their building design.


Like this?

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i199/imawingnut/yyy.jpg

I live in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, where there is a city policy encouraging green terraces on rooftops. This not only provides a pleasant looking addition to the urban fabric, but also encourages more urban living in the center of the city.
With all the new housing development going on in downtown OKC, I was a bit surprized to see that more did not include rooftop gardens. Granted, the heat in the summer might be prohibitive, but proper shading could partially solve that problem. Also, the view of downtown from a nearby rooftop garden would not only be stunning, but also a great selling point. let's give this a try OKC!

If I remember right, the couple who are converting that old building in the Triangle area, close to the train tracks, are going to have a pool and garden on their roof.

I think there was a rendering of the plans in the article.

I live in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, where there is a city policy encouraging green terraces on rooftops. This not only provides a pleasant looking addition to the urban fabric, but also encourages more urban living in the center of the city.
With all the new housing development going on in downtown OKC, I was a bit surprized to see that more did not include rooftop gardens. Granted, the heat in the summer might be prohibitive, but proper shading could partially solve that problem. Also, the view of downtown from a nearby rooftop garden would not only be stunning, but also a great selling point. let's give this a try OKC!

I'm fascinated by your story! How do you live in Amsterdam and end up on a board about Oklahoma City? I love The Netherlands.

oh dear lord

I grew up in OKC, graduated from OU and left to study in Europe in 1985. Liked it so much I stayed. Nonetheless I follow the OKC downtown threads like an obsession. I have seen so many interesting cities around the world, but still want the best for my hometown as well. Few things get me excited like the Core to Shore or a possible Devon Energy tower! Who needs Venice, the Taj Mahal or Rio?
Having said that, I too love the Netherlands (particularly Amsterdam) for their open, liberal life, practially non-existant poverty, low crime, excellent health care and worldly attitude. Also, they have some truly ground-breaking housing developments, some of which would fit fabulously into the OKC bricktown style. Hence, this is where I live.

Well I can take comfort in knowing that something like that won't be built here any time soon. Most architects try to build something that can meld with the surroundings. Not to say it won't stand out, but that isn't so vastly different that it detracts from the surrounds....which these designs would. That contemporary freakish style of architecture that people like to put out there just doesn't work here. We see all these designs of things that the architects want to build and then thank god, they are brought back to reality and altered.

Obviously not a great appreciator of modern cutting edge architechture! Have you ever thought of how daring buildings can contribute to the personality of a city? Good examples are the Arch in St. Louis, the Pyramid in San Francisco, and the Opera House in Sydney. Granted, there are bad examples as well, but if well thought out, contemporary architecture, even in OKC, could do wonders!

Parisians HATED the Eiffel tower when it was built.

I disagree that architects usually try to design buildings that blend in with their surroundings. It looks to me like most architects design buildings without ever having even seen the site. Its more important for their egos that their buildings stand out, even if it's ugly. Especially these days, everything is a glass box. Boring.