AUSTIN | The Independent | 690 FEET | 58 FLOORS | Complete - Page 103

the Genral · #**2041** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 1:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

This building really does look good from a distance. I'm lucky enough to walk down my driveway and look up the street to see it perfectly framed. I'm very interested to see how they plan to light the crown. They better be planning to light the crown...

At least from a distance, it's harder to tell what the crown is made of and can't see the garage portion.

It looks amazing from a distance. I recently took the flyover from Mopac to southbound 183 and with the Austonian on one side and the Independent on the other, the view of downtown looks big league. Like the saying goes, it looks good from afar, but now its far from looking good.

Echostatic · #**2042** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 2:05 AM**

I think it looks great from the distance, good from ground level, and bad from most of the Downtown area.

austlar1 · #**2043** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 3:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Echostatic

I think it looks great from the distance, good from ground level, and bad from most of the Downtown area.

I think it looks good from the ground and nearby, especially from West 6th St. It helps that from up close you can't really see the cheesy rooftop screen. From a far distance it looks disjointed and strange. I am trying hard to like it, but I think it distracts from the overall composition of the skyline because its distorted shape attracts too much individual attention from the viewer.

ahealy · #**2044** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 5:53 AM**

Soo many vantage points. For me (sorry for repeating), it looks absolutely horrendous viewing from S. 1st, but iconic facing East or especially South from around Burnet or N. Lamar.

It's really such an odd temporary tallest for Austin. I feel like we're back in 2008 with the few lonesome 400-500 footers that sprouted up. Perhaps this one needs time and new neighbors....I do believe the disjointed sections could've used some more imagination.

drummer · #**2045** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 6:19 AM**

You know...if the substation was replaced with a tower, the garage would be a nonissue....just saying...

Urbannizer · #**2046** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 6:34 PM**

Austin Skyline, 2018 by Dave Wilson, on Flickr

KevinFromTexas · #**2047** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 7:12 PM**

Rock Studios - https://www.facebook.com/rockstudios...type=3&theater

GoldenBoot · #**2048** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 9:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Rock Studios - https://www.facebook.com/rockstudios...type=3&theater

WAIT! Look. Right there by the SRV statue. Is that Augustus Gloop floating down Wanka's river of chocolate?

KevinFromTexas · #**2049** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 9:19 PM**

Also, that's a pretty good view of the "Lady Bird Lake soul patch" by Northshore.

clubtokyo · #**2050** Posted **Oct 30, 2018, 9:52 PM**

Hope they do another pic when the water is back to normal, the brown is ruining the pic for me.

Jdawgboy · #**2051** Posted **Oct 31, 2018, 3:08 PM**

I know this is off topic but since the subject of the river came up, with all these floods over the past few years, it's obvious that a lot of silt and other debris is building up through Ladybird Lake. If the city doesn't want it to fill in, they are going to have to start dredging sooner or later. I'm not sure how much of that gets through Longhorn Dam. That "soul patch" as Kevin puts it is a prime example.
It wasn't there before the 2015 Memorial Day flood. Now it's not so much the issue since its actually a good thing for those islets to develop just downstream of creek tributaries and indeed the city went down there to plant native riparian plants. It will help to slow and break up flood waters coming in from Shoal Creek in the future. But the overall riverbed is building up overtime and that is an issue.

myBrain · #**2052** Posted **Nov 26, 2018, 7:53 PM**

Surprised we haven't seen any lighting on this one yet. Was there ever confirmation that they'd light the crown at night?

mumu · #**2053** Posted **Nov 26, 2018, 8:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I know this is off topic but since the subject of the river came up, with all these floods over the past few years, it's obvious that a lot of silt and other debris is building up through Ladybird Lake. If the city doesn't want it to fill in, they are going to have to start dredging sooner or later. I'm not sure how much of that gets through Longhorn Dam. That "soul patch" as Kevin puts it is a prime example.
It wasn't there before the 2015 Memorial Day flood. Now it's not so much the issue since its actually a good thing for those islets to develop just downstream of creek tributaries and indeed the city went down there to plant native riparian plants. It will help to slow and break up flood waters coming in from Shoal Creek in the future. But the overall riverbed is building up overtime and that is an issue.

Definitely. It's salient when you use Google Earth and look back over time just how many "soul patches" are developing. Many around the rail bridge too.
If you use the date slider at the bottom left and change it to 3/2003 where the river is particular clear vs the most recent images, the differences are striking.

ahealy · #**2054** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 12:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by myBrain

Surprised we haven't seen any lighting on this one yet. Was there ever confirmation that they'd light the crown at night?

I know, should be any day now. I cannot imagine this one will have zero lighting.....although we do have that crown, so anything is possible!

the Genral · #**2055** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 1:10 AM**

Its curious how we are anxious to light up and highlight the least attractive element of this building.

427MM · #**2056** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 4:17 AM**

Would be criminal not to light that spire.

Geckos_Rule · #**2057** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 3:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

Its curious how we are anxious to light up and highlight the least attractive element of this building.

Every part of the Fairmont is the least attractive element of that building, but I do like that the lit the top of it (even though they can change the colors to anything they want, and don't....).

the Genral · #**2058** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geckos_Rule

Every part of the Fairmont is the least attractive element of that building, but I do like that the lit the top of it (even though they can change the colors to anything they want, and don't....).

I thought this was the Independent thread and we were talking about the Independent.

Geckos_Rule · #**2059** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 4:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

I thought this was the Independent thread and we were talking about the Independent.

We are. I'm only saying that even if a building, or part of a building is ugly, lighting can help it look better. And I was using the Fairmont as an example.

KevinFromTexas · #**2060** Posted **Nov 28, 2018, 6:00 PM**

I really don't get the hate on the Fairmont. I mean, the lobby yeah, it's like the 1970s or something, but I don't mind the exterior. I know that from some angles, mostly from the north and south, it can appear awkward, but from the east and west, I think it looks pretty slick. My favorite view of it is from I-35 and when the light hits it just right. The curtain wall is pretty impressive. I don't even mind te spire.