Ideas to Make over Cobo Center

[Detroitnerd]

Just more of today's faddish glitter to adorn a decaying 1970s architectural turd.

Monkey bars, anyone?

[d.mcc]

Just more of today's faddish glitter to adorn a decaying 1970s architectural turd.

Monkey bars, anyone?

Are you suggesting green roofs are a fad?

[Detroitnerd]

Are you suggesting green roofs are a fad?

It'll take a while to see. I see lots of neat stuff that looks pretty forward thinking, but I'm not sure all applications make sense. A lot of the time it's a fig leaf [[Ford is a huge polluter looking to score a PR win) or a gimmick [[the "green roof" might help build buzz for a Cobo deal). Or, I grant you, it could be my hyperactive cyncism hard at work.

[d.mcc]

It'll take a while to see. I see lots of neat stuff that looks pretty forward thinking, but I'm not sure all applications make sense. A lot of the time it's a fig leaf [[Ford is a huge polluter looking to score a PR win) or a gimmick [[the "green roof" might help build buzz for a Cobo deal). Or, I grant you, it could be my hyperactive cyncism hard at work.

Because I am pretty sure green roofs have been around as long as man has been constructing shelters for himself. I don't know if Terra Amata had any "green" or "living roofs" persay, but I am fairly certain that were in use at Scara Brae.

[Detroitnerd]

Because I am pretty sure green roofs have been around as long as man has been constructing shelters for himself. I don't know if Terra Amata had any "green" or "living roofs" persay, but I am fairly certain that were in use at Scara Brae.

That's true. But you must admit that, these days, there's a novelty factor to LEED-approved design and green roofs. Hell, work around urban planning issues long enough, and you see how faddish and fleeting all that "novelty" can be.

A short history of an American thoroughfare:

1950s: Take out the streetcar for traffic.

1960s: Widen the thoroughfare for smoother traffic.

1970s: Build out the sidewalk in hopes of attracting more shoppers.

1980s: Add a streetscape to fill the empty shopping sidewalk.

1990s: Take out the streetscape because it looks dated.

2000s: Add a median for "green space."

When I think of all the money that's spent on this "great new idea" over the last 60 years, I wonder if we shouldn't have just kept the streetcars instead of spending $50 million here and $100 million there on the latest "sure thing."

Then again, you know cynical ol' me.

[Stosh]

That's true. But you must admit that, these days, there's a novelty factor to LEED-approved design and green roofs. Hell, work around urban planning issues long enough, and you see how faddish and fleeting all that "novelty" can be.

A short history of an American thoroughfare:

1950s: Take out the streetcar for traffic.

1960s: Widen the thoroughfare for smoother traffic.

1970s: Build out the sidewalk in hopes of attracting more shoppers.

1980s: Add a streetscape to fill the empty shopping sidewalk.

1990s: Take out the streetscape because it looks dated.

2000s: Add a median for "green space."

When I think of all the money that's spent on this "great new idea" over the last 60 years, I wonder if we shouldn't have just kept the streetcars instead of spending $50 million here and $100 million there on the latest "sure thing."

Then again, you know cynical ol' me.

That's true. But then again not a single "great new idea" listed here ever saved a penny in energy costs. This will, at least for cooling. And the insulation on the bottom will boost efficiency as well, overall.

[Detroitnerd]

That's true. But then again not a single "great new idea" listed here ever saved a penny in energy costs. This will, at least for cooling. And the insulation on the bottom will boost efficiency as well, overall.

For a building that's used a few weeks out of the year ... but heated and cooled every day?

[Gistok]

Just more of today's faddish glitter to adorn a decaying 1970s architectural turd.

Monkey bars, anyone?

Although Cobo Arena and riverfront side are 1960... the rest is 1989.... but you do make a point. Back in the late 80's the TETRIS look was cool... not all modernism withstands the test of time well....

One day the Frank Gehry "crushed trashcan" look may get a different response... such as "what were they thinking when they built that?"

... and then there's the Scottish Parliament Building... 10 times over budget and 3 years late...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ed...2006-04-29.jpg

Not quite sure where the Scottish Parliament Building ends and the rest of Edinburgh begins...

But one equation about cutting edge buildings is often the case....

INNOVATION + COST OVERRUNS = MAINTENANCE NIGHTMARE

[d.mcc]

Not quite sure where the Scottish Parliament Building ends and the rest of Edinburgh begins... [[

Not always a bad thing...