AUSTIN | The Independent | 690 FEET | 58 FLOORS | Complete

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

Yeah I've been worried about this since the beginning. Such a shame for the new tallest in Austin to have such a bleak and unfinished looking parking podium, compared to say the Austonian.

Have you seen the Austonian's parking podium from 3rd & Congress?

[resansom]

Originally Posted by Riverranchdrone

The mesh seems as white as the whole building was pictured in the drawings. The building looks more blue than whitish. From the webcam the mesh does seem to hide the core pretty well. I will leave judgement for when they install the lighting.

One of the earlier renderings shows the screen looking, pretty much, like what we're seeing now:

I do wish it were going to be as white as some of the other renderings...

[78701]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

Have you seen the Austonian's parking podium from 3rd & Congress?

Here.

[ahealy]

Ok, I know I'm flip-flopping here but I am liking the crown more now. I was driving down 15th and took a glimpse at it since they've added more panels and it looks attractive....this isn't sarcasm.

As for the podium......

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by 78701

Here.

Thank you. My apologies. It actually is not as bad in reality versus what I remembered. Obviously, I remembered incorrectly.

[Sigaven]

The only thing I don't like about the "crown" is that it's gray. It doesn't go with any of the rest of the building. The divisions between floors are expressed as white, I wish they'd paint the screen white.

[78701]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

The divisions between floors are expressed as white, I wish they'd paint the screen white.

Yes! That would push it from "ok, fine" to "very good".

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

The only thing I don't like about the "crown" is that it's gray. It doesn't go with any of the rest of the building. The divisions between floors are expressed as white, I wish they'd paint the screen white.

It would also reflect light and hide what's behind it better. But if they were going to paint it, they would have done so before they installed it when it would have been a whole lot easier. So we might be seeing the finished product.

[KevinFromTexas]

If you're driving along Mopac in the late afternoon, say, around 7 pm, the sunlight hits the columns nicely on the screen and it really pops.

[Jdawgboy]

Also if your on Mopac in the morning, you can clearly see the square mechanical box. The crown is what I would say the most controversial part of the building. Depending on direction and time of day, it either looks great or it's less than be desired. I like how the poles holding the mesh poke up above which breaks up (even a little) the flat top. It also does look like it's white as opposed to when it first went up. The biggest drawback is how the mechanical box is so visible when the sun is positioned behind the building.

[Sigaven]

[QUOTE=Jdawgboy;8271826I like how the poles holding the mesh poke up above which breaks up (even a little) the flat top. [/QUOTE]

This is what I don't like - to me it makes the screen look unfinished. I can also see the tip of the big concrete cube behind the screen poke up above the screen when driving into downtown from S Lamar. If they brought the screen up to the tip of the poles, it the concrete box wouldn't be visible like that.

Also it seems like there should be more white mullions dividing the screen, I wonder if they are going to add more? There's one horizontal band that goes around the bottom but it looks like there should be another one another 2/3 of the way up but I don't see anything.

[The ATX]

Balfour Beatty apparently has a new webcam with no public access.



https://twitter.com/sbgreer24

[Jdawgboy]

Such cool snapshots needed to be color restored to bring out their brilliance so I fixed them.

[austlar1]

I am trying very hard to like this building, but viewed from almost any angle or from any distance it manages to disappoint. Seen from down south on Mopac, which is where I spot it most frequently, the Independent simply appears as this tall building that is somehow distorted or crooked. I know that is the whole point, but it does not seem like enough to justify the bother. Viewed from up close, the various components seldom come together cohesively. The drawer-like extension about midway up the building on the east side seems like an especially discordant design note. I was hoping the white square screen-like structure on the roof would make a difference. Instead, it just adds another somewhat unsettling element. I especially dislike the fact that the white structure on the roof is kind of a see-through affair. Maybe that will change before they are done with it? I know this building cost a fortune to build and is an impressive addition to the skyline. That is all well and good, but it is something that we are going to be looking at for a very long time. It could have been so much better.

[loonytoony]

Buck hoists coming down this weekend.

[StoOgE]

Are they not going to mesh the top of the building off? It looks really unfinished at present.

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Are they not going to mesh the top of the building off? It looks really unfinished at present.

I agree. But looking at that latest rendering it looks like we might be seeing the finished product. WTF were they thinking.

[78701]

Originally Posted by loonytoony

Buck hoists coming down this weekend.

Before the crane does?

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

I agree. But looking at that latest rendering it looks like we might be seeing the finished product. WTF were they thinking.

They are thinking that it seemed like a good idea at the time

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by the Genral

They are thinking that it seemed like a good idea at the time

If that's the case, they really need to come up with a few bucks and devise something that is aesthetically pleasing up there. They ought to be ashamed.