Slog - Comments on The Brutal Beauty of Concrete http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of Under construction is the 25-story Seattle Sheraton Union Street Tower. When completed in spring it will make the Sheraton the largest hotel in Washington, with a total of 1283 rooms and 18,000 square feet. But these are just dull facts. What's remarkable about this tower, which owes its design to the big and global Seattle-based firm Callison Architecture, is the amount of concrete used in its make up. Callison Architecture calls it the "modern aesthetic," which may well be the case, but what's certain in our day and age is that corporate structures of this kind, and expense, $130 million,... Copyright 2008 Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:09:07 -0800 Wed, 10 Jan 2007 01:07:57 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by amateur psychologist wow. this story explains so much!

]]> amateur psychologist http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585468 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585468 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:26:13 -0800 Comment by scharrera One note of correction - pretty sure it's all cast in place concrete, not pre-cast.

]]> scharrera http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585493 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585493 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:49:13 -0800 Comment by mike yeah, it's definitely not precast. in situ slipforming. might be one of callison's better projects.

charles-if you love concrete so much, you should check into the phaeno zentrum by hadid, sverre fehn's nordic pavilion, and the crematorium in berlin by axel schultes. projects like the freeway park have done much to damage the reputation of concrete as a finish. it is rather unfortunate.

]]> mike http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585507 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585507 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:03:43 -0800 Comment by MHD 18,000 sq. ft / 1283 rooms =
9.9 sq. ft./room.

Perhaps this can fill our low-income housing deficit.

]]> MHD http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585515 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585515 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:18:57 -0800 Comment by him Actually, 18,000 sq. ft / 1283 rooms =
14.03 sq. ft./room. Unless you were adjusting for hallways, ice machines, and all that nonsense. 14 square feet is what, 2 feet wide by 7 feet long? Maybe they're making it like those Tokyo hotels where all you get is enough room to lie down.

]]> him http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585522 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585522 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:32:32 -0800 Comment by Violet_DaGrinder Yeah, the world (or, ok, the Slog) makes a little more sense now. :-D

I actually love your architectural (

]]> Violet_DaGrinder http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585527 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585527 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:34:59 -0800 Comment by Stefan Sharkansky In modern Hebrew slang, the equivalent of the American English "what, are you nuts?" is "Nafalta al ha-rosh?" "Did you fall on your head?"

]]> Stefan Sharkansky http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585536 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585536 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:44:27 -0800 Comment by What are you thinking?
Chuck,
Concrete is not the story here. It's how the expansion of the Sheraton does even more violence to the steetscape and the pedestrian experience. Giant, flat walls that come crashing to the sidewalk--and yes, they are hard, and soul-less.

How can the Stranger advocate for alternatives to the car when that building is so awful for the pedestrian?

]]> What are you thinking? http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585547 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585547 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:53:53 -0800 Comment by mike outside of the area around pike market, what building in the highrise area downtown has soul?
westlake center? century square? us bank center? the westin?

]]> mike http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585589 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585589 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 15:55:08 -0800 Comment by mike and there's a lot more than 18,000 sf in that there soul-less shell.
@ $130 mil, that works out to a whopping $7200 /sf.
typical hotel room is upwards of 180sf. plus suites, hallways, storage, ballrooms, etc.

]]> mike http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585593 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585593 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:01:39 -0800 Comment by what are you thinking? We need to learn from Portland and Vancouver about building that are friendly to the pedestrian. Street level is the place to mingle and celebrate the city's vitality.

Celebrating slabs of concrete for their "hardness" and brutal honesty and all that other pretentious Dadist crap is non-democratic.

C'mon Stranger! Lose the berets and advocate for the people! Feet first, remember?

]]> what are you thinking? http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585601 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585601 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:15:27 -0800 Comment by Matthew Stadler Concrete is fascinating, and beauitful in the hands of talented craftsman.

I recommend Ruben Gallo's wonderful book, "Mexican Modernity," for its excellent chapter about concrete and the way that material was used to express Mexico's poltical culture in the 20th century.

Also, fans of great concrete should visit Portland's Weiden + Kennedy building (12th & Everett, in The Pearl) which was a rehab by Allied (Brad Cloepfil's firm) and features beautiful, huge concrete tiles, poured (I'm told) by the same people who used to pour most of Donald Judd's concrete work.

]]> Matthew Stadler http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585608 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585608 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:24:32 -0800 Comment by StrangerDanger Charles, That was beautiful. Usually your work goes over my alleged mind, but I really enjoyed your poem on the building, and more importantly, concrete.
Thank you.

]]> StrangerDanger http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585627 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585627 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:53:12 -0800 Comment by catalina vel-duray Darlings, the 1283 number equals the total number of rooms in BOTH towers when the new tower is configured. If I remember correctly, the existing tower has something in the neighborhood of 830 guest rooms.

and I believe the 18,000 square feet is referencing the meeting space.

]]> catalina vel-duray http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585638 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585638 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:26:10 -0800 Comment by BR Callison is so overrated! THE most annoying group of people working in Seattle. Elitist assholes.

]]> BR http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585641 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585641 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:32:43 -0800 Comment by benot burt let's see how much you like it after it is painted.

]]> benot burt http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585647 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585647 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:48:22 -0800 Comment by Edward Dorn "It is unforgiving and never stops getting harder." A skyscraper or every man's dream.

]]> Edward Dorn http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585680 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585680 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:10:17 -0800 Comment by Daniel K "so dense, so brutal, so raw"

...and so ugly!

]]> Daniel K http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585920 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c585920 Architecture Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:44:22 -0800 Comment by D Concrete... is a great support for statues.

]]> D http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c586123 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c586123 Architecture Tue, 09 Jan 2007 10:14:08 -0800 Comment by skater homo the sheraton has always been a dump - and makes a lot of money for someone

crappy and over priced food too

]]> skater homo http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c586843 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/the_brutal_beauty_of#c586843 Architecture Wed, 10 Jan 2007 01:07:57 -0800