John Rex Elementary

[HangryHippo]

I'm pretty let down by the exterior design. It just looks kind of blah.

[ethansisson]

I'm pretty let down by the exterior design. It just looks kind of blah.

You're right. I think a lot of people fail to imagine what a new building will look like in 20 years. Think about how we look at all of the ugly buildings and styles we're left with from the 80's. This is going to be similar after a few decades. We need simple, timeless design.

[Praedura]

The big white cylindrical thingy (in the third pic)... anyone know what that is supposed to be?

[wsucougz]

The big white cylindrical thingy (in the third pic)... anyone know what that is supposed to be?

A miniature replica of the Devon tower, designed to tie the two developments together both visually and from a feng-shui standpoint.

[jn1780]

I think the backside with the vertical windows and dark brick looks like a jail.

Edit: Really the whole structure looks like a jail or prison.

[Praedura]

Yeah, the building is looking colder and harsher the more I stare at it.

The kids will probably go through enough agony inside the building, so the building itself, at least, could be a bit more cheery and inviting than this.

[Just the facts]

If only there was an urban school somewhere near downtown that they could use as an example.

[Rover]

Is it the contemporary design that bothers most or the set-back and sidewalk?

Is the only acceptable urban building design that which is classical or neo-classical?

[Just the facts]

It is the entire project that is messed up. Honestly, for the life of me I don't know why designing a square box to go on a square lot is so darned hard. We have only built like 50,000 urban schools in the US over the last 400 years, you think we could do it by now.

[Praedura]

Is it the contemporary design that bothers most or the set-back and sidewalk?

Is the only acceptable urban building design that which is classical or neo-classical?

I don't think it needs to be classical or neo-classical. Just less blah-ical, more inviting-ical.

[Spartan]

Is it the contemporary design that bothers most or the set-back and sidewalk?

Is the only acceptable urban building design that which is classical or neo-classical?

My first glance over this, I loved the design actually. I think that the uber-tactile brick veneer is interesting, exactly what you want to draw kids inside. However I also see the others' arguments that it is also somewhat jail-looking.

I love how the windows are all different shapes and patterns, I would say to keep that up while accommodating double the current amount of windows. Natural lighting is an excellent thing to have in a school - especially considering that the main urban frontage is north-facing, which provides the best light.

[MIKELS129]

A miniature replica of the Devon tower, designed to tie the two developments together both visually and from a feng-shui standpoint.

You have got to be kidding me. As if we can't see the tower from everywhere; downtown, midtown, uptown.

[ethansisson]

Is it the contemporary design that bothers most or the set-back and sidewalk?

Is the only acceptable urban building design that which is classical or neo-classical?

Don't pretend that this is just an issue of people not preferring contemporary design. A contemporary design would be acceptable if it didn't use pretentious shapes and lines implemented in ugly materials. The irregular size and spacing of the windows is ridiculous. Look around at buildings built with dark brick or blocks. They look tired and dingy. A building built according to those renderings is going to be an eyesore.

[ethansisson]

You have got to be kidding me. As if we can't see the tower from everywhere; downtown, midtown, uptown.

Actually I think wsucougz was kidding.

[ethansisson]

This isn't it for me Rover. I actually don't dislike the design as much as I just think it doesn't optimize the use of the whole block. I'd rather see a green space in the center of 4-sided block. But I'm certainly not a school designer. I just found this site: Perkins Eastman: K-12 Education which it appears that what is being proposed above, is at least not that far off the mark of what is being done elsewhere.

I think I just need to learn more about the constraints of the project before I really have an opinion on the actual footprint.

Perkins Eastman does beautiful schools. I hadn't heard of them before. There's no comparison between those and what we're seeing in these renderings. It's sad.

[MIKELS129]

Don't pretend that this is just an issue of people not preferring contemporary design. A contemporary design would be acceptable if it didn't use pretentious shapes and lines implemented in ugly materials. The irregular size and spacing of the windows is ridiculous. Look around at buildings built with dark brick or blocks. They look tired and dingy. A building built according to those renderings is going to be an eyesore.

I would like to see a lighter brick; more windows, more rhythymic placement of windows. Since it is an elementary school; a little COLOR would be nice,as well.

[Spartan]

Don't pretend that this is just an issue of people not preferring contemporary design. A contemporary design would be acceptable if it didn't use pretentious shapes and lines implemented in ugly materials. The irregular size and spacing of the windows is ridiculous. Look around at buildings built with dark brick or blocks. They look tired and dingy. A building built according to those renderings is going to be an eyesore.

Did you get beat out by TAP or something? I'd focus your vendetta on their parking garage project, which actually is going to be a huge eyesore..

[Just the facts]

This isn't it for me Rover. I actually don't dislike the design as much as I just think it doesn't optimize the use of the whole block. I'd rather see a green space in the center of 4-sided block. But I'm certainly not a school designer. I just found this site: Perkins Eastman: K-12 Education which it appears that what is being proposed above, is at least not that far off the mark of what is being done elsewhere.

I think I just need to learn more about the constraints of the project before I really have an opinion on the actual footprint.

I would be happy with a 4 sided block with an interior courtyard or they could keep the 3 story building along Walker and create a parking lot with a drive-thru drop off area on the rest of the lot all cover by a green roof for the playground. School, secured parking, secured drop off, and a playground - all on the same plot of land. It would also have the added benefit of grade separating the playground and the sidewalk, thus keeping any undesirables away from the playground.

Maybe we should let ODOT design the school. They have no problem with grade separation.

[ethansisson]

Did you get beat out by TAP or something? I'd focus your vendetta on their parking garage project, which actually is going to be a huge eyesore..

I don't even know what TAP is. I stay away from the politics of these things. Just a designer in the community wanting to provide my professional feedback.

[G.Walker]

Just looked at the recent renderings, and wow. This is the worst design of an urban school I have ever seen. Can we say government building? I am tired of the City letting TAP put out Class C designs, this is horrible along with the new parking garage they are designing, I am glad they are not designing the new CC, phewwwww. This is what I call and nice urban designed school:

[Rover]

Just looked at the recent renderings, and wow. This is the worst design of an urban school I have ever seen. Can we say government building? I am tired of the City letting TAP put out Class C designs, this is horrible along with the new parking garage they are designing, I am glad they are not designing the new CC, phewwwww. This is what I call and nice urban designed school:

Where is this school located? Budget?

[Rover]

Don't pretend that this is just an issue of people not preferring contemporary design. A contemporary design would be acceptable if it didn't use pretentious shapes and lines implemented in ugly materials. The irregular size and spacing of the windows is ridiculous. Look around at buildings built with dark brick or blocks. They look tired and dingy. A building built according to those renderings is going to be an eyesore.

Not sure why the aggressive response. I am not pretending anything. Most of the posters on this site tend to keep coming back to classical buildings as their examples of sustainable urban structures. I happen to be more oriented to clean contemporary lines and high functional capabilities.

[ethansisson]

Not sure why the aggressive response. I am not pretending anything. Most of the posters on this site tend to keep coming back to classical buildings as their examples of sustainable urban structures. I happen to be more oriented to clean contemporary lines and high functional capabilities.

Yeah, "don't pretend" probably wasn't quite the right opening line. Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound so aggressive.

[shawnw]

That was my first impression as well. Thought it was just me.

I think the backside with the vertical windows and dark brick looks like a jail.

Edit: Really the whole structure looks like a jail or prison.

[wsucougz]

You have got to be kidding me. As if we can't see the tower from everywhere; downtown, midtown, uptown.

Yeah, totally made that up.

I don't think the design is all that bad, though. Could be a whole, whole lot worse.