Facade going up fast now:


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/main071814.jpg

This is going to look really nice. I'm glad the construction is getting closer to done.

I'm sorry, but this doesn't look anything like the rendering so far. I'll reserve judgment until it's finished, but so far I'm underwhelmed.

The good things about facades are: they can be replaced. So even if it looks like crap, down the line we can fix that. But the bones of the building are good. The urban design of the building is good. We can always put a new face on it eventually if this doesn't turn out well.

^Agree. I can see something happening like what happened with the skin of the downtown library.

Looks bad! I'm sure it looks much better in person though. I'll try to go check it out soon.

Looks bad! I'm sure it looks much better in person though. I'll try to go check it out soon.

I saw it last night. I will say it looks better in person but I also will wait until complete to judge it.. I have a feeling it will come togther much better than it appears currently.

This was just taken.

The gray mesh panels (barely noticeable between the two columns of colored glass) seem to be much more transparent than the renderings:


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/main072014.jpg

Perhaps there is another layer that will go on it?.. because that is FAR too transparent to me. it appears nothing is there at all.

I believe that's it.

I believe that's it.

That's pretty disappointing.

BTW, on the north side there will only be the gray mesh -- no colored glass at all.

BTW, on the north side there will only be the gray mesh -- no colored glass at all.

Did it get cut out? Some of the early rendering had the same amount of glass there too, as much as a disappointment the mesh looks in the photos. It seems even more that with all the civic buildings and the park they would plan/approve for it to have a much more bland look than the south facade.

Hopefully they might consider the arts community doing some public art over top the mesh as a canvas, cause it this looks sad if this is the quality of the final product. Even painting the concrete column and floor edges a silver/gray that matches the framing/mesh would have been a noticeable improvement.

BTW, on the north side there will only be the gray mesh -- no colored glass at all.

That is too bad.. you would think you would definately want something a bit decorative facing North.

Edited.

Sorry, I was mistaken. There will be the same colored glass on the north side.

I was looking at an old rendering.

The more that go up the better it looks still hoping for an awesome result.

They look kind of flappy.

If they are all translucent it will look great, but if half of them are dull it will look, well, dull

Here ya go...

https://twitter.com/ParkingOKC/status/491677990430834688

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BtLKhp-CEAEkXp_.jpg:large

^

Looks better from a side angle than head-on.

agreed.. at that angle it doesn't look so bad.
that is why i think a 2nd layer on the gray panels would create more of this view even straight on.
but we will see when its all done

For clarity's sake, are some of the panels still covered by a protective wrap or are those intentionally less translucent (such as those in the bottom left square in the photo above)?

Saw the actual colored panels today and they look soooo much better in person. I think people will be quite happy with them. Wasn't paying attention enough to notice the mesh. My eyes went directly to the color as I drove by.

For clarity's sake, are some of the panels still covered by a protective wrap or are those intentionally less translucent (such as those in the bottom left square in the photo above)?

Look at the renderings in the article at the top of the page.

The installed panels are finished; no coating or wrap to be removed.

I jumped the gun! Looks way better now that it is coming together. By far the best parking garage downtown (not a lot of competition)

I drove by and tried to take a picture but it really sucks. I will leave that to Will. I also think I ran over a construction worker when I had my phone out the window.

The thing I had never noticed, that I saw in person, is the colored panels descend at an angle. It's a really cool effect.

https://mobile.twitter.com/jeninthe405/status/492302036827144192

8736

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5584/14715239016_7102097971_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oqkrTw)
Main Street Parking Garage (https://flic.kr/p/oqkrTw) by lazio85 (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5554/14737968342_cb4623e1f8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oskWws)
Main Street Parking Garage (https://flic.kr/p/oskWws) by lazio85 (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

This is going to look great in the evenings with the garage lights illuminating the panels from the inside.

I really wish the COPTA (or whoever did it) would have done this to the Santa Fe parking garage. It would looks so much better the crap that is up there now.

I really wish the COPTA (or whoever did it) would have done this to the Santa Fe parking garage. It would looks so much better the crap that is up there now.

No kidding. That would have been a worthy renovation.

I really wish the COPTA (or whoever did it) would have done this to the Santa Fe parking garage. It would looks so much better the crap that is up there now.


No kidding. That would have been a worthy renovation.

Perhaps Justin Blackmon was on the design committee for the Santa Fe Garage project.

it's annoying that the new santa fe entrances glow but the add-ons to the sides do not

Ok I looked at this again yesterday.. they only have one of the gray panels in place. I thought in the pics and when I drove by before that they were up and seemed invisible.. WOW am I a goof.. I think when all of the gray panels are up it will look even better but the glass does look great. they are just now ready to pu the north side up it appears.

A rare glimpse of the north side from warreng88:


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/main080614.jpg

Monstosity? Shame on TAP? Interesting use of words, David Pollard. I am very sure that you did not understand what this project has been through. I agree that this project can improve, but that is the life of a designer/architect. I would also wait until the project is complete to speak with such strong words.

Anyway, what is the best looking parking garage in Oklahoma City

There's one on the CPK campus that is optically interesting.

I'm afraid this might turn out looking only marginally better than the recent "improvements" to the Santa Fe Garage. I'm not impressed (so far).

I'm afraid this might turn out looking only marginally better than the recent "improvements" to the Santa Fe Garage. I'm not impressed (so far).

In fairness, you tend to be one of the harsher architecture critics here.

I respect your point of view, but did want to provide that context. :)

Santa Fe is "done" and looks just horrid, day or night. If they had painted the concrete to match the gray paneling, it might have worked, but right now, I hate to say, it might be the second ugliest structure in all of OKC, and might be worse now than before, only because it's obvious that they tried and failed to fix it.

^

And, Santa Fe is so massive and highly visible.

In fairness, you tend to be one of the harsher architecture critics here.

I respect your point of view, but did want to provide that context. :)

I'll wear that badge :)

I'm afraid this might turn out looking only marginally better than the recent "improvements" to the Santa Fe Garage. I'm not impressed (so far).

Not even close, man. This garage is worlds better than the concrete cluster that is the Santa Fe Garage with the cladded vomit on it.

What?!? I am done with this topic until this project is complete. Maybe I am missing something.

QUOTE=CuatrodeMayo;818532]I'm afraid this might turn out looking only marginally better than the recent "improvements" to the Santa Fe Garage. I'm not impressed (so far).[/QUOTE]

Like everything else in OKC, it will look best at night. When backlit by the structure's own interior lights, those glass panels are really going to pop visually and provide a nice counterpoint to the Chihuly tower in the entrance to OKCMOA on the other side of City Hall's lawn. Also, the street-level retail space by itself make this light years better than Santa Fe.

I think it will be fine for what it is. A parking structure has to be truly exceptional architecturally to be worth getting excited over, and we don't even believe in architecturally-exceptional office buildings, hotel structures, theaters and the like, so I would not hold out hope of ever seeing structured parking that knocks your socks off. I think it's a perfectly fine building considering the various financial, design and philosophical restraints we place on structures here.

Absolutely. In terms of function and urban design this is a win.

Architecturally (to me) it's trying too hard and could end up being gimmicky. We'll see.

UC: You seem to be taking the criticism somewhat personally. Were you involved with this design?

In fairness, you tend to be one of the harsher architecture critics here.

I respect your point of view, but did want to provide that context. :)

Aren't roughly all of the critics of architecture fairly harsh on here? I am curious if there's anyone who didn't design a project being mentioned who is professionally trained in design and planning, and comes off as a fairly lenient voice.

I too have been pretty skeptical of the designs that TAP has been flooding the city with lately. Their capacity is not as high as their work load was for a while and it showed.

No, I was not involved with the design of this project.

I was confused by your comparison between the Sante Fe Parking Garage and this garage. I do agree that it could end up being gimmicky, but not downright terrible. The Sante Fe garage is the strangest thing that I have ever seen.

I guess I just think that this a great addition to OKC, and that the overall design will enhance the area near the civic center. Overall, I like it.

That was all that I meant. I wanted to bring some of the OKCTalk negativity back to the other side. I don't like when people talk bad about OKC, and the increasingly positive momentum for the future.

That was all that I meant. I wanted to bring some of the OKCTalk negativity back to the other side. I don't like when people talk bad about OKC, and the increasingly positive momentum for the future.

There are plenty of people who like the design.

It's unfair and inaccurate to label a few critics as "OKCTalk negativity".

I go back and forth on the designs that TAP produces. Right now I'm on the "like" side of the spectrum. I think the designs are new and interesting. I am not very familiar with modern architectural trends, so I don't know if the TAP stuff is something you would find all over the place in other cities. It definitely has a distinctive appearance, and I think it makes the city look kind of hip.

You have to keep in mind there is usually a big difference between civic projects (like this one) and private ones (like The Rise).

At least in most cities, civic projects are always going to be budget-constrained and more conservative.

Private projects are more likely to be be bold with a bigger budget, depending on the client.

You have to keep in mind there is usually a big difference between civic projects (like this one) and private ones (like The Rise).

This one gets completed and the other doesn't? ;)

Aren't roughly all of the critics of architecture fairly harsh on here? I am curious if there's anyone who didn't design a project being mentioned who is professionally trained in design and planning, and comes off as a fairly lenient voice.

I too have been pretty skeptical of the designs that TAP has been flooding the city with lately. Their capacity is not as high as their work load was for a while and it showed.

I think the educated voices should be heard and it would be helpful to explain the source of their design criticism so we can all learn what is proper to expect. It would also be great if the critics who are architects and planners start a thread and post their works so we can judge their works as well, and to understand their philosophies, tendencies, and tastes that adds contexts to their critiques. It would be helpful to know if the criticism is a matter of taste and style preferences, or fundamental design errors.

Here is a shot from today of the north side courtesy of warreng88; you can see the glass has gone in on the two stair towers:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/main081014.jpg

I think there's about 850 reasons to be happy about this garage.

From https://twitter.com/ParkingOKC:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bu3PwDcCIAAq9St.jpg

I'm not sure why there is so many complaints about this. I think the last picture looks better than the renderings. That's just me though. We'll see when it's all finished.

I'm not sure why there is so many complaints about this. I think the last picture looks better than the renderings. That's just me though. We'll see when it's all finished.

I agree. So far, so good for me.

FYI the pic Pete posted above is the North Side, the south side is almost done.