PHILADELPHIA | Vue32 | 206 FT | 17 FLOORS

[jjv007]

Originally Posted by Elevator1

I don't get the Erdy McHenry accolades. All their designs look like they try too hard to be cool and fail miserably. Between this, Evo, and the Drexel dorms.

Eww, all of those are hot garbage

[Knight Hospitaller]

Their stuff looks dated before it's finished.

[iheartphilly]

Millennium Hall on Drexel's campus is not bad at all. His designs are more daring than most buildings that were built or under construction in the past few years. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[volguus zildrohar]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Millennium Hall on Drexel's campus is not bad at all. His designs are more daring than most buildings that were built or under construction in the past few years. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

This post is being typed inside of Millennium Hall right now where I work.

From the outside and distant the building has edge and visual appeal. This structure, however, gets much less appealing the closer that you get to it. I'm unsure whether or not the design flaws (nothing structural) were the result of institutional input or EM not envisioning the spaces inside correctly. I remember Inga really having a problem with the way Millennium clashes with the scale of the surrounding Victorian neighborhood - there's something to that.

What the firm attempts to do with their designs is admirable, especially in this city but I think that they might be a bit hamstrung by the desires of institutional clients who want something that looks "cool" but doesn't actually work very well as a building that people have to use.

[jjv007]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Millennium Hall on Drexel's campus is not bad at all. His designs are more daring than most buildings that were built or under construction in the past few years. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Millennium Hall is probably the least offensive of the bunch imo, it has some good elements. The others do too for sure, but they just seem incomplete/awkward.

[iheartphilly]

@vz and jjv-good points all around. If you want to maximize all usable square footage in a building, you go for a vertical rectangle box. And, if you want to blend in with the surrounding buildings, you go for similar design and incorporate similar materials. But, I don't think that's what EM was going for. If you look at his website, you'll see other designs with similar characteristics that are in various projects. I'm no professional critic, but it's refreshing to have different designs in our city portfolio, good or meh, depending who you ask.

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by christof

I actually like Evo and the Drexel dorm. Both have character and add something to the skyline.

This? This looks like something that got processed out of the sewage treatment plant.

Erdy-McHenry is very hit-or-miss with their designs (although it seems like the misses are becoming more frequent these days).

[DocAwesome]

This being skyscraperpage, I understand that we may be more concerned about how a building looks from afar, and Millennium Hall doesn't look half bad from 5 blocks out.
But a building to me is a failure if it isn't able to engage at street level, so for me Millennium hall and many of the newer University City buildings fail miserably, unfortunately.

[OslPhlWasChi]

Originally Posted by DocAwesome

But a building to me is a failure if it isn't able to engage at street level.

Yes! I would add that OCCUPANCY is the most important (with street-level engagement a close second). A building is successful if it is actually utilized for its intended use - opening up the debate are some uses better than others, but I will not go down that road for now.

A beautiful supertall that is 80% unoccupied to me is much worse than a mixed-use, average design mid-rise that is used by residents/visitors inside the building throughout the day as well as provides appropriate amenities for the public realm and neighborhood.

[summersm343]

Hard Hat Tour: Vue32, the Building

Read more here:
http://www.phillymag.com/property/20...g/#gallery-2-1

[summersm343]

3/23/17

[Knight Hospitaller]

Looks better in person, but that's not saying much (sorry to be a "negadelphian.")

[summersm343]

4/26/2017

[Boku]

Originally Posted by summersm343

4/26/2017

Egads.

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by Boku

Egads.

Kinda reminds me of the federal prison in town. Actually, the prison looks better.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Boku

Egads.

Easily the ugliest building under construction in the city right now. And that says a lot. Because there is a lot of mediocre and ugly going around.

For a long time, I think EM's voice was relevant. But it feels like they haven't really evolved at all in the past 2-4 years. Everything feels so gimmicky to me.

I think it's time for them to find new inspiration.

[City Wide]

At less then a 150 posts on this site, this building certainly hasn't generated much buzz. I can't remember such a underwhelming response to such a significant and very visible building. Design wise, Drexel really took a beating on this one.

[Parkway]

Originally Posted by City Wide

At less then a 150 posts on this site, this building certainly hasn't generated much buzz. I can't remember such a underwhelming response to such a significant and very visible building. Design wise, Drexel really took a beating on this one.

It should be noted that Drexel doesn't have anything to do with this building except that it is close to their campus.

On a different note, this is a rare example of a building that actually looks better in person. It's not great, but it's also not as bad as pictures usually make it look.

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by Parkway

It should be noted that Drexel doesn't have anything to do with this building except that it is close to their campus..

Doesn't Drexel own the ground? It did as of the CDR submission (listed as "owner"). I always assumed--and maybe read somewhere--that this is a long-term ground-lease by Drexel to Radnor, similar to Penn's arrangement with the FMC Tower and Evo. So presumably, like Penn for its long-term ground leases, Drexel has or had ultimate control over what happens on this property.

[gjrip]

This really doesn't look bad at all in person, and it's a hell of a lot better than an empty lot. I am happy with it.