Comments on: Street Walls http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/ > so much wonderful packaged in such a mess Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:59:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Lee Roberts http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-501 Lee Roberts Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:25:39 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-501 I agree with Michael - a streetwall in and of itself isn't enough - there are plenty of buildings in Seattle that hold the street wall but have no pedestrian interest or relief. Streetwalls and streetlife need to go together. I agree with Michael – a streetwall in and of itself isn’t enough – there are plenty of buildings in Seattle that hold the street wall but have no pedestrian interest or relief.

Streetwalls and streetlife need to go together.

]]> By: What’s Wrong With Four Stories? | hugeasscity http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-500 What’s Wrong With Four Stories? | hugeasscity Thu, 10 Apr 2008 07:08:25 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-500 [...] Following up on my street walls post, check out some more of the 4-story corridor that’s coalescing on the northern end of Eastlake Ave: [...] [...] Following up on my street walls post, check out some more of the 4-story corridor that’s coalescing on the northern end of Eastlake Ave: [...]

]]> By: Dan Staley http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-499 Dan Staley Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:11:02 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-499 <i>it would be a whole hell of a lot better if they installed quieter pavement or a sound wall on that part of I-5. </i> I used to live on Latona, just a bit farther from I-5 than that picture above. I can't find it anymore, but WSDOT did a study on the ship canal bridge, estimating cost for noise suppression/attenuation - the duplex I rented was where the last decibel meter was placed. Cost & aesthetics weren't pretty. it would be a whole hell of a lot better if they installed quieter pavement or a sound wall on that part of I-5.

I used to live on Latona, just a bit farther from I-5 than that picture above. I can’t find it anymore, but WSDOT did a study on the ship canal bridge, estimating cost for noise suppression/attenuation – the duplex I rented was where the last decibel meter was placed. Cost & aesthetics weren’t pretty.

]]> By: Cale http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-498 Cale Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:32:33 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-498 That part of Eastlake (2nd picture) has tons of potential, but it would be a whole hell of a lot better if they installed quieter pavement or a sound wall on that part of I-5. That part of Eastlake (2nd picture) has tons of potential, but it would be a whole hell of a lot better if they installed quieter pavement or a sound wall on that part of I-5.

]]> By: michael http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-497 michael Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:46:34 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-497 I think an important aspect of the Trace example is the fact there is a courtyard entrance that breaks up what would otherwise be a monotonous street wall. Yes, urban form and the scale of buildings in Paris do provide a nice sense of enclosure, however if it wasn't for the architectural detail of many of the buildings in Paris, the monotony would be completely mind-numbing. As to upper story plazas and seating areas. I appreciate the nod to the tree canopy, but in general encouraging such amentities is a bad idea. I suspect these areas are little used, and they do negatively effect the street wall and sense of enclosure, especially on wide streets. Better to encourage deeper setbacks of the entire building (perhaps through FAR bonuses), and create both room for the tree canopy, and for active street-level uses, i.e. seating, vegetation, public art, etc. I think an important aspect of the Trace example is the fact there is a courtyard entrance that breaks up what would otherwise be a monotonous street wall. Yes, urban form and the scale of buildings in Paris do provide a nice sense of enclosure, however if it wasn’t for the architectural detail of many of the buildings in Paris, the monotony would be completely mind-numbing.

As to upper story plazas and seating areas. I appreciate the nod to the tree canopy, but in general encouraging such amentities is a bad idea. I suspect these areas are little used, and they do negatively effect the street wall and sense of enclosure, especially on wide streets. Better to encourage deeper setbacks of the entire building (perhaps through FAR bonuses), and create both room for the tree canopy, and for active street-level uses, i.e. seating, vegetation, public art, etc.

]]> By: Kalakalot http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-496 Kalakalot Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:28:58 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-496 Yikes ... <I> nominating </I> [the Coronado] for historic preservation, that is. Yikes … nominating [the Coronado] for historic preservation, that is.

]]> By: Kalakalot http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-495 Kalakalot Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:26:38 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-495 The Coronado does indeed have some awesomely whacked-out features, but I do hope you're joking about preserving it for historic preservation! That building is a bitch to live in. The walls are concrete, which makes it cold as balls in the winter, hot as balls in the summer, and damp year round. The "motel style" unit entrances (i.e. people walking directly in front of your apartment all the time) result in everyone keeping their west-facing living room blinds permanently closed. This is unfortunate, since the units are designed to get most (if not all) of their natural light from the building's western exposure. The most positive thing I can say about it is that if you removed the stairs and camped out on one of the upper levels, it would probably be a fairly decent place to stave off a zombie attack. The Coronado does indeed have some awesomely whacked-out features, but I do hope you’re joking about preserving it for historic preservation! That building is a bitch to live in. The walls are concrete, which makes it cold as balls in the winter, hot as balls in the summer, and damp year round. The “motel style” unit entrances (i.e. people walking directly in front of your apartment all the time) result in everyone keeping their west-facing living room blinds permanently closed. This is unfortunate, since the units are designed to get most (if not all) of their natural light from the building’s western exposure. The most positive thing I can say about it is that if you removed the stairs and camped out on one of the upper levels, it would probably be a fairly decent place to stave off a zombie attack.

]]> By: Brian http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-494 Brian Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:22:22 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-494 Those first couple of pictures totally reminds me of the Pearl District in Portland. I like! Those first couple of pictures totally reminds me of the Pearl District in Portland. I like!

]]> By: Jonathan http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-493 Jonathan Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:55:04 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-493 I, too, welcome the street walls. Living in South Lake Union, I have seen Westlake go from a low slung avenue to, as you described, being outside yet snug and enclosed between the buildings. It makes for a nice corridor now between Lake Union and downtown. I hope Fairview Avenue can join in the ranks and with its full growth trees, it can look spectacular with some 5-10 story buildings gracing the distance between Denny and the Lake. I, too, welcome the street walls. Living in South Lake Union, I have seen Westlake go from a low slung avenue to, as you described, being outside yet snug and enclosed between the buildings. It makes for a nice corridor now between Lake Union and downtown. I hope Fairview Avenue can join in the ranks and with its full growth trees, it can look spectacular with some 5-10 story buildings gracing the distance between Denny and the Lake.

]]> By: Dan Staley http://hugeasscity.com/2008/04/08/street-walls/comment-page-1/#comment-492 Dan Staley Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:27:23 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/04/08/street-walls/#comment-492 I currently have a number of session proposals out that call for setting back the upper stories to make room for tree canopy. The canopy still provides enclosure and 2nd-3rd floors can have plazas-seating areas. The tradeoffs are minimal and the gains are enough to let us consider this proposal. If it gets accepted to state APA I'll share the feedback I get. I currently have a number of session proposals out that call for setting back the upper stories to make room for tree canopy.

The canopy still provides enclosure and 2nd-3rd floors can have plazas-seating areas. The tradeoffs are minimal and the gains are enough to let us consider this proposal. If it gets accepted to state APA I’ll share the feedback I get.

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