I am thoroughly nonplussed and disheartened that the hugeasscity readership did not have the wherewithal to correctly identify the reason for the three-story windowless concrete penthouse atop the Financial Center building. As is screamingly obvious in the photo above, the blank concrete band at the top of the building was a critical design feature, a […]
There are aspects of the building shown above that are more consequential than the orange wall, though that bad boy is a piece of work, to be sure. Pb Elemental‘s designers, not known for subtle gestures, continue to be the local masters of ignoring context — not that that is necessarily a bad thing, particularly […]
By the year 2012, according to a new report (pdf) from CIBC World Markets on the effects of the rising cost of oil. Among the predictions: oil at $200/barrel and gasoline at $7/gallon by 2010 10 million fewer vehicles on the road by 2012 (peak at 240 million) 15% reduction in vehicle miles traveled by […]
What is up with that ~30 feet of blank concrete wall at the top of the Financial Center Building at 4th and Seneca? That’s a good three stories of wasted building height way up there where the views are best. Ten feet above roof level to screen rooftop mechanical equipment would not be unusual. So […]
[ Illustration by Jules Feiffer ] From The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster: “Many years ago, on this very spot, there was a beautiful city of fine houses and inviting spaces, and no one who lived here was ever in a hurry. The streets were full of wonderful things to see and the people would […]
I’m not one to bemoan the coming of more high-density housing to Seattle, but still, something seems a tad out of touch with reality in the scene shown above (and have you ever seen such a magnificent application of blue tarps?). Seneca Towers, a 25-story, 285-unit condo tower, will soon to rise from this site […]
______________________________________________________________________________________ I can hear the Seattle Magazine readership already: “Honey, I think I’m gonna get me one of them hugeass Rolexes like in that ad on the back cover.” But really, I have to thank Seattle Mag for the kind words. Too kind probably, considering the dour tone of many of my recent posts (note […]
 Here are a couple thought-stimulating quotes from a New York Times article from July 2, 2008, “Fuel Prices Shift Math for Life in Far Suburbs”  “More than three-fourths of prospective home buyers are now more inclined to live in an urban area because of fuel prices, according to a recent survey of 903 real […]
Sunshine screaming louder – Sunshine look away – Ecstasy awakenings – The bringing forth of day. Pleasure splits the silence. The countdown’s torn in two. Each part clenched between The shudderings in you. Passion fruits in the maze within, Seething like a time bomb. But the ancient condemnation’s just, And crushed the spiral cord. The […]
That Tulalip Casino billboard sure adds a nice touch of class to the Pearl Apartments. Why the hell do we put up with these fuggin eyesores? And the thing is, they are more than just eyesores: In the words of Adbusters founder Kalle Lasn, billboards are mental pollution: “Our mental environment is a common-property resource […]
This is Collingwood Village, a 27-acre transit-oriented development (TOD) in Vancouver, B.C. Quoting from this pdf: “Collingwood Village is a prime example of how the opportunity created by a new rapid transit system can be the impetus for co-ordinating land use planning with a large scale development. This co-ordination of land use and transportation planning […]
The Seattle Times has a new quarterly magazine called “Footprint,” and the cover of the June 28 edition touts “7 Cool Ideas to Change Our Wicked Ways.” Um, wicked? Ha ha! Isn’t it cute how wicked we all are! Wink-wink, all those enviros are so uptight, such a drag with all their preaching about imminent […]
…if we don’t get on a very different path.” I suppose a veteran NASA scientist who first testified about global warming to the U.S. Senate 20 years ago has earned the right to get a little snarky. This week Jim Hansen was back in front of congress again, testifying that unless greenhouse gas emissions are […]
The Summer Day by Mary Oliver Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean– the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead […]
Grok this 223-foot tower on the edge of Lake Washington in one of Seattle’s wealthiest predominantly single-family neighborhoods. This is Washington Park Tower: 23 stories tall, with 53 luxury condos, built in 1969. For perspective, that’s about the same height as the brand new Four Seasons Hotel/Condo in the heart of downtown Seattle. Like Beacon […]
Not an historic landmark, but still, most would probably admit it hurts a little to lose all that brick. Developer Jim Mueller is bullish on the Central District. Including the recently purchased Deano’s site at 22nd and Madison, Mueller is also developing the Twilight Exit site across the street (the blue building in the photo), […]
Putting aside whether or not is was a piece of architecture worth saving for any reason, noble or otherwise, the fact is that a designated city landmark was demolished. What is the point of the designation if there is no viable mechanism for the protection of such properties? What is the point when those who […]
[ Graphic: Seattle Times; Source: City of Seattle DPD ] Seattle has reached 50% of its 2024 housing growth target. That rocks my hugeasscity world. But as might be expected, this news has raised concerns that Seattle may be growing too fast. Pshaw! The sooner we put more housing where it makes sense — in […]
When I read the letter below that landed in my inbox the other day, I couldn’t help thinking that the author and I must be from different planets. On my planet, human activity is pushing ecological systems to the breaking point, CO2 levels are reaching unprecedented levels, and scientists are telling us that if we […]
