Hudson Opportunity Design Expo

**Hans57** · June-08-13, 10:09 PM

Has anyone had a chance to make it to the expo yet? I'm out of town but wanted to go.

Are there any quality submissions?

**Spartan** · June-08-13, 10:58 PM

Good mix. Some pretty solid designs, some pretty bad ones, a lot of average ones. Many of them were much too wild, which wouldn't really fit in the center of the city all that well. There was an affinity for putting trees on top of buildings for some reason as well. None of them really got me excited, but there were definitely some viable options there.

**royce** · June-09-13, 01:43 AM

I'd have to agree with Spartan. There were a few viable ones but many were just out there. One entry turned the entire site, upper levels as well, into some kind of race track for cars. One had apartment pods that would be added to the structure as more people decided to move in. The pods reminded me of what people want to do with cargo containers. I won't give away anymore. The ones I liked, however, made a pathway from Woodward to Farmer, which I think is an important element to have because it breaks up the block and makes it more accessible. Let me conclude by adding that for two hundred plus entries, the majority were disappointing. Didn't these entrants know that they could win some nice money, twice, if they had made their entries more practical?

**Jason** · June-09-13, 11:44 AM

Is street parking free downtown on the weekends?

**dtowncitylover** · June-09-13, 12:03 PM

I went yesterday and it was really cool to see these designs. I'm very much a traditionalist when it comes to architecture [[some pomo architecture makes me shake my head), but it was all interesting to say the least. There was one "design" that made me think it should be on display at the DIA. Does anyone remember this one? It just a brown canvas or board [[not sure what it was on). I just didn't understand it.

**southen** · June-09-13, 12:18 PM

I just got back, there were some very interesting ideas. I noticed quite a few ignored the needs of downtown like density but some were very good. I was really intrigued by one that closed off farmer at the block and incorporated the library into a park.

**royce** · June-09-13, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by Jason

Is street parking free downtown on the weekends?

Jason, only on Sundays.

**Spartan** · June-09-13, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by southen

I just got back, there were some very interesting ideas. I noticed quite a few ignored the needs of downtown like density but some were very good. I was really intrigued by one that closed off farmer at the block and incorporated the library into a park.

I thought that one was interesting as well. I think closing Farmer could cause problems though, with the Compuware garage. Library is a bit of a useless street though, and I wouldn't have much objection to eliminating that.

**Hans57** · June-09-13, 10:14 PM

I guess I can disclose that I had an entry now. It was titled "Hudson Arcade" - two towers, a three-story retail structure, and a two-arm arcade. Any thoughts on it, if you remember it?

**dmike76** · June-10-13, 09:07 AM

There were a lot of interesting designs. It seemed that some people either didn't do their homework on what Gilbert wants, they just didn't care, or they were using this as practice. There were a lot of designs that didn't have first floor retail or dense use of the space. I think one was just a pavilion and one was a park. Wrong answer. In my mind, the building has to be eye-catching....something that is really striking that you don't see anywhere else. I do love the old architecture, but we need to shake things up a bit. I did like #130 I believe....it was three buildings that looked like triangles with their acute angles all sloping towards the center of the site.

**Spartan** · June-10-13, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by dmike76

There were a lot of interesting designs. It seemed that some people either didn't do their homework on what Gilbert wants, they just didn't care, or they were using this as practice. There were a lot of designs that didn't have first floor retail or dense use of the space. I think one was just a pavilion and one was a park. Wrong answer. In my mind, the building has to be eye-catching....something that is really striking that you don't see anywhere else. I do love the old architecture, but we need to shake things up a bit. I did like #130 I believe....it was three buildings that looked like triangles with their acute angles all sloping towards the center of the site.

Yeah, I think a lot of them were not designed with the intention of winning. I have a friend whose company put in an entry on the recommendation of a client, so they didn't really have much creative control over the concept. I think a lot of people were designing these with idealism and not realism in mind. All the parks, urban farms, schools, museums, etc. aren't going to win because they're not practical, but I think some of them were just trying to expose people to their ideas, especially the more "green" designs.

**Spartan** · June-12-13, 12:25 PM

Here are the winners:
http://hudsons.opportunitydetroit.com/entries/

I don't even remember seeing any of the top 3

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · June-12-13, 01:31 PM

Wish I could have seen them in person. So hard to get a good idea of them online.

**rb336** · June-12-13, 02:07 PM

The first place winner looks like it's permanently under construction

**rb336** · June-12-13, 02:10 PM

And why do so many of them look like they have Macy's parade balloons?

**bailey** · June-12-13, 02:37 PM

Not an architecture guy, but with #2, am I to understand the entire Woodward facing side of the building will be a solid blank surface? Does that make any sense to anyone?

I guess I'm just a philistine, but how about some buildings that just fit the site and look like they've always been there? A nod to the past, but with modern amenities and efficiencies. Too much to ask?

**southen** · June-12-13, 03:13 PM

why the nod to the past? this is an area that has always been pushing forward with design, be it the architecture or automobiles. just because we have been terrible at preserving our history doesnt mean we have to keep recreating it with every new development. a good modern building would be great for the city. compuware and one kennedy were huge disappointments in my book.

**Zug** · June-12-13, 03:22 PM

I actually like both the winner from the judges and the winner from the community.

Even though the above winner by the judges does have an unfinished look, I think it would look more "solid" if constructed, covered in glass, and actually filled with things. I like that it is multiple buildings and makes the space appear bigger than it really is.

The winner chosen by the community is very nice as well. It definitely fits in well with the surrounding buildings. It is also the most "normal" looking one, so I am not surprised the community chose it. It is a "safe" design...which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

My favorite is probably this one [[community's 3rd place), mainly because it is an actual skyscraper. It has a very modern design, which would be a contrast to the rest of the skyline. I would prefer an actual skyscraper...perhaps not designed exactly like this...but I wouldn't be upset if this exact design was built.

**bailey** · June-12-13, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by southen

why the nod to the past? this is an area that has always been pushing forward with design, be it the architecture or automobiles. just because we have been terrible at preserving our history doesnt mean we have to keep recreating it with every new development. a good modern building would be great for the city. compuware and one kennedy were huge disappointments in my book.

your last sentence answered the question. It's been done here....badly. I'd happily go for the Icon. but the "erector set" that won and the a symetrical "blank wall" that was #2 just don't make sense to me as concepts...I can't imagine how bad the execution would be.

I'm all for modern, but at some point function has to follow form and the art needs to be lived in.

A building with a blank solid wall down what is supposed to be Detroit's main street seems asinine to say the least. Going to be hard to watch the parade through a concrete wall.
[[although I would gladly be corrected if I've misinterpreted the rendering and it is not, in fact a blank wall the entire length of Woodward ave face)

**Spartan** · June-12-13, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by Zug

My favorite is probably this one [[community's 3rd place), mainly because it is an actual skyscraper. It has a very modern design, which would be a contrast to the rest of the skyline. I would prefer an actual skyscraper...perhaps not designed exactly like this...but I wouldn't be upset if this exact design was built.

I just couldn't get the Dubai building out of my mind looking at that entry
http://www.ssqq.com/archive/vinlin23.htm

**rb336** · June-12-13, 05:06 PM

I find these to be my favorites, none won anything

http://hudsons.opportunitydetroit.co...posals0076.jpg

Love it or hate it, it is a statement building

http://hudsons.opportunitydetroit.co...posals0160.jpg

It wouldn't work in the current market, but I like the style

http://hudsons.opportunitydetroit.co...posals0114.jpg

don't know what to say about it, I just like the green

**Detroitdave** · June-12-13, 07:29 PM

I like numbers 2,3 and 8 and this one,
http://hudsons.opportunitydetroit.co...posals0076.jpg,
I didn't like the one vote by the community it was boring to me , it's been done in many cities , I would like a more iconic building that really stands out and makes a statement.

Detroit needs to really think outside of the box and think more of it self, make a statement to the world , be really funky like the Walt Disney hall in LA and the Guggenhiem Museum in Bibao Spain
see below

https://www.google.com/search?client...0hall%20images

https://www.google.com/search?q=gugg...w=1600&bih=768

World class cities take chances and risk
Go big or go home ! :-)

**AuburnSpeedster** · June-12-13, 07:54 PM

Is it bad that I like almost all of these? I wouldn't mind any of them. Each one is better than whats built there now. Some of the ones not chosen would be nice to see built elsewhere like the Statler site [[changed due to size of the lot, obviously).

Also... does anyone know where I can see bigger versions of these pictures where I can actually read the text on them?? That would be very helpful!

**Spartan** · June-12-13, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitdave

I like numbers 2,3 and 8 and this one,
http://hudsons.opportunitydetroit.co...posals0076.jpg,
I didn't like the one vote by the community it was boring to me , it's been done in many cities , I would like a more iconic building that really stands out and makes a statement.

Detroit needs to really think outside of the box and think more of it self, make a statement to the world , be really funky like the Walt Disney hall in LA and the Guggenhiem Museum in Bibao Spain
see below

World class cities take chances and risk
Go big or go home ! :-)

You know, I voted for the community winner [[and a few others that were more on the safe side), but I agree at least to some extent. Detroit doesn't really have anything recognizable in recent years. Even the RenCen was a pretty long time ago. The Compuware building next door is a bit more modern, so that would help keep it grounded a bit among the other older buildings. I really like the winner that they chose, and a few of the honorable mentions.